
Qass_~'. •;/ 
Book. ^_ .: 



GopigMW- 



COPXRIGHT DEPOMi 



LIFE- DEATH- HEREAFTER 

"The Entrance of Thy Words Giveth Light."— Psa. 119:130 



5,000 Edition 



If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed 

time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, 

and I will answer Thee: Thou wilt have a 

desire to the work of Thy Hands." 

—Job 14:14, 15. 



A Collection of Writings of Biblical Scholars, 
vindicating God's Character, Plan and 
Works, and the Ransom-Sacrifice and Power 
of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit to 
Minister Life and Immortality to the Faithful. 



EDITED AND PUBLISHED 

BY 

PASTOR PAUL S. L. JOHNSON, V.D.M., 

Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A. 

1920 



To the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 

IN THE INTEREST OF . \ QT 






HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS 

WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION 
AND OF 

ALL THAT IN EVERY PLACE CALL UPON THE LORD, 
"THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH," 



THE GROANING CREATION, TRAVAILING AND WAITING FOR 
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD, 

THIS WORK IS DEDICATED 



To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning 
of the world hath been hid in God.'! "Wherein He hath abounded toward 
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the 
mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which 
He hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispen- 
sation of the fulness of the times He might 
gather together in one all things, 
under Christ." 
Eph. 3:4.5.9; 1:8-10. 



COPYRIGHT 192O 

PAUL S. L. JOHNSON 

PHII.ADEI.PHIA, PA., U. S. A. 

CU571875 



FOREWORD 



'T'HE EDITOR AND Publisher of this treatise on Life— 
■■• Death — Hereafter has no apology to make for his gather- 
ing and publishing under one cover some pen products of able 
Biblical Scholars on timely themes; for the subject of this book 
is of compelling interest to all inquiring minds. Philosophers 
and scientists, theologians and publicists have given us wise and 
unwise treatises on the subjects set forth in this work. The too 
common mistake of trusting solely to human knowledge, tradi- 
tion and hope has more or less marred the majority of the 
efforts to arrive at the Truth on these themes. On these as well 
as on all other matters of faith and practice, the only reliable 
source and rule of correct knowledge — true science — are found 
in the Holy Scriptures, which, we are happy to recognize, set 
forth their views on these matters in strict harmony with sound 
reason and human experience. Therefore the writings appear- 
ing in this book pass by human theories and philosophies on 
Life — Death — Hereafter as foundations for Faith's building, 
and ground their thoughts on "the impregnable Rock of Holy 
Scriptures," and therefore offer the Divine Mind on the subjects 
presented herein. This accounts for the many and frequent 
references to the Scriptures found throughout this work. 

This book being a compilation of writings that have appeared 
at various times, and that were not originally intended to form 
a single treatise, of necessity there will be found here and there 
brief repetitions of thought which could not be omitted without 
marring the discussion of the various themes. Even this feature 
of the book has its advantages, as St. Paul assures us that his 
repeating the same things did not hurt him, but profits us; 
because repetition is the mother. of learning. Therefore we 
trust that the good reader will among other, ways be blessed by 
this unavoidable feature of the book. 

The subjects chosen are especially timely. The vast harvest 
that Death has recently reaped through the World- War and its 
accompanying Famine and Pestilence has aroused a more wide- 
spread interest in the subjects herein discussed than has been in 
evidence for many years. In Church, State, Family, Finance, 
Industry and Society the deep sorrows of death coming in the 
very recent past to many hearts, and the natural cravings for 
renewed fellowship with loved ones who have passed away, 
have made the subjects herewith presented the theme of many 
an earnest conversation, devout meditation, fond hope and 
anxious inquiry. But Satan, the Adversary of God and man, 
ever alert to entrap the unwary, is seeking to use this interest to 



Foreword. 

further his own purposes — to enslave in the thraldom of error 
those whose hearts are mourning, because the grim reaper has 
garnered one or more of their loved ones to the tomb. As has 
been his custom from time immemorial, he is now setting the 
extremes of error in opposition to one another, hoping thereby 
to divert the honest investigator from, and to cause him to for- 
get, the Truth which lies between these extremes of error. On 
the one hand through so-called Orthodoxy he holds before the 
mourning heart the present as well as the eternal felicity of 
the good dead, and the present as well as the eternal woe of the 
wicked dead, in places far distant from this earth ; while on the 
other hand through Spiritism he is using his underlings, the 
fallen angels, to palm themselves off as the spirits of our loved 
dead and as inhabitants of earth's atmosphere, whereby he is 
woefully deceiving many, through taking advantage of their 
guilelessness by his subtle playing on the tender cords of their 
mourning hearts. By means of these extremes of error he suc- 
ceeds in hiding from the eyes of many the Truth — that the dead 
are asleep, peacefully resting after the nightmare of toil and 
trouble amid which they passed from the cradle to the tomb, 
where they are quietly, peacefully resting, until the voice of 
Christ, the Life-giver, calls them back from Death to Life and 
to a better Hereafter. Both Orthodoxy and Spiritism delude 
their votaries ; Truth alone gives Solid comfort to the Bereaved. 
To help honest hearts to be and to remain free from prevail- 
ing delusions on Life, Death and the Hereafter, and to gain the 
rest of mind and the comfort of heart that flow from an accurate 
knowledge of the Divine Mind on these subjects is one of the 
purposes of this book; and back of this purpose, and permeating 
the contents of the entire work, is the thought of vindicating the 
Glorious Character, Plan and Work of God, and the Ransom- 
Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His resultant Ministry, whereby 
"He is able to save unto the uttermost them that come to God by 
Him." Surely such purposes appeal to all good people, whose 
prayers are asked that God may prosper the book in 'this its 
Divinely approved mission ! 

Paul S. L. Johnson, Editor and Publisher. 
Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A., July 16, 1920. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 
LIFE AND IMMORTALITY 

Indefinite Hopes- of a Future Life. — The Atonement, the Basis of the 
Hereafter. — A Blessed Hereafter Conditional. — God's Provision for Ever- 
lasting Life Reasonable. — Mortality and Immortality. — Immortality for 
a Few, Everlasting Life for Many. — Final Results of God's Plan 5 

CHAPTER II 
THE WAGES OF SIN 

Eternal Torment. — Orthodox. — Heathen. — Unknown to the Scriptures. — 
The Clearly Taught Scriptural Penalty. — Just and Severe. — Jesus Silent 
on Eternal Torment. — Taught Another Doctrine. — -The Ransom versus 
Eternal Torment. — The Wages of Sin, Not Eternal Life in Torment, but 
Death. — Scriptural, Reasonable and Factual Proofs against the Former 
and in Favor of the Latter 13 

CHAPTER III 
WHAT IS THE SOUL? 

God "Able to Destroy Both Soul and Body." — Lower Animals Also Are 
Souls. — Man's Finer Organism. — The Scripture Teaching on This. — God's 
Provision for Our Living Again. — An Ii lustration — a Candle. — Questions 
with Inspired Answers. — Questions for the Reader , 20 

CHAPTER IV 
WHERE ARE THE DEAD? 

The Agnostic Answer. — The Heathen Answer. — The Catholic Answer. — . 
Millions to Purgatory. — The Protestant Answer. — The Best of People 
Perplexed. — What Say the Scriptures? — Death, Not Torment, the Pen- 
alty. — God's Penalty a Just One. — "And the Dead Came Forth." — "All 
That Are in Their Graves." — Not Universalism. — Where Are the Dead? — 
Present Your Bodies Sacrifices 31 

CHAPTER V 
THE HELL OF THE BIBLE 

Various Views on Eternal Torment and Hell. — Their Effects. — Hell 
as an English Word. — Hell in the Old Testament. — All Texts in Which 
Sheol :s Translated Hell. — All Other Texts Where Sheol Occurs. — 
Rfvdered Grave and Pit. — Hell in the New Testament. — Hell from the 
Greek Word Hades. — Christ in and Resurrected from Hell-Hades. — Other 



Contents. 

Occurrences of the Word "Hell." — Gehenna Rendered Hell. — Shall be in 
Danger of Gehenna. — Matthew 5 : 22-30. — Able to Destroy Both Soul and 
Body in Gehenna.^ — Undying Worms and Quenchless Fires. — Matthew 23: 
I 5, 33- — Set on Fire of Gehenna. — Tartaroo Rendered Hell. — Parable of 
the Rich Man and Lazarus. — The Great Gulf to Be Bridged. — Parable of 
the Sheep and the Goats. — The Final Adjustment of Human Affairs. — 
Everlasting Punishment. — "The Lake of Fire and Brimstone, Which is 
the Second Death." — Revelation 21:8. — The Devil, Beast and False 
Prophet Tormented. — Turned Into Hell. — Did the Jews Believe in Eter- 
nal Torment? — Choose Life That Ye May Live. — Forgivable and Unfor- 
givable Sins. — Future Retribution. — Let Honesty and Truth Prevail 46 

CHAPTER VI 
SPIRITISM ANCIENT AND MODERN 

General Remarks. — Proofs That It is Demonism. — Who Are These Spirits 
Which Personate the Dead? — Obsession at the First Advent. — Modern 
Spiritism and Its Tendencies. — Warnings from a Spiritist and Sweden- 
borgian. — Many Possessed of Devils Today. — Spiritism Reviving. — Spirits 
Now Organize Churches. — "In the Secret Chamber." — "We Are Not 
Ignorant of His Devices." — Satanic Powers Malific. — "Be Not High- 
Minded, but Fear." — These Are the Strong Delusions. — Hypnotism and 
Telepathy Modern Demonism. — Communication with the Dead. — Rev. I. K. 
Funk, D.D., "Touched." — Rev. R. Heber Newton's Views. — Suggestive 
Facts Noted. — Experiences in Spiritualism. — Of an Irrelevant Character. 
— The Spirits Betray Their Evil Intention. — A Remarkable Vision. — 
"Why He Had Been Summoned to Me." — Arrest the Progress of Evil. — 
The Triumph and Defeat of Satan. — Physically Healed. — Preaching to 
the Dead. — Preaching to the Spirits in Prison. — Spirits Once Disobedient. 
— In Chains of Darkness. — Once Disobedient — Still Disobedient. — Fight- 
ing Against God. — Through Mediums and Obsessions. — "Know Ye Not 
That the Saints Shall Judge Angels?" — How Jesus Preached in Death. 10. 

CHAPTER VII 
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD 

Resurrection Rarely Chosen Now as a Subject for Sermons.. — To Many 
Death Has Become a Delusion, and Not a Reality. — "Consistency-, Thou 
Art a Jewel." — The Man of 50 Would Be Sadly Handicapped. — The Scrip- 
tures Hold Out the Only Hope, the Blessed Hope, the Consistent Hope.— 
Which Shall We Believe — God or Satan? — The Apostle Preached Jesus 
and the Resurrection. — The Five Senses in Full Accord with the Scrip- 
tures. — "As Dieth the One, So Dieth the Other; They Have All One 
Breath." — "Jesus Died, the Just for the Unjust." — The Prison-House of 
Death to Be Opened and the Prisoners Set Free. — "Blessed and Holy Are 
Tuey Who Have Part in the First Resurrection." — The General Resur- 
rection to Be a Raising Up by Judgment. — The Condition of the Dead 
Spoken of as a Sleep. — "Thou Sowest Not That Body Which Shall Be."— 
God's Omnipotence and Wisdom Will Be Exhibited 171 



LIFE— DEATH— HEREAFTER 



CHAPTER I 
LIFE AND IMMORTALITY 

Indefinite Hopes of a Future Life. — The Atonement, the Basis of the 
Hereafter. — A Blessed Hereafter Conditional. — God's Provision for Ever- 
lasting Life Reasonable. — Mortality and Immortality. — Immortality for 
a Few, Everlasting Life for Many. — Final Results of God's Plan. 

"If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed 
lime will I wait till my change come." — Job 14: 14. 

T^HERE IS A longing hope within men that death does not 
■■• end all existence. There is an undefined hope that, some- 
how and somewhere, the life now begun will have a continua- 
tion. In some this hope turns to fear. Realizing their un- 
worthiness of a future of pleasure, many fear a future of woe; 
and the more they dread it for themselves and others the more 
they believe in it. 

This undefined hope of a future life, and its counterpart, fear, 
doubtless had their origin in the Lord's condemnation of the 
serpent after Adam's fall into sin and death — that eventually 
the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. This no 
doubt was understood to mean that at least a portion of the 
Adamic family would finally triumph over Satan, and over sin 
and death, into which he had inveigled them. No doubt God 
encouraged such a hope, even though but vaguely, speaking to 
and through Noah, and through Enoch, who prophesied, "Be- 
hold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints." But 
the Gospel, the "good tidings" of a salvation from death, to be 
offered to all mankind in God's due time, was to be first clearly 
stated to Abraham. The Apostle declares, "The Gospel was 
preached before to Abraham, saying, Tn thy seed shall all the 
families of the earth be blessed.' " This was at least the basis 
of the Jewish hope of a resurrection; for since many of the 
families of the earth were dead and dying, the promised blessing 
of all implied a future life. And when, centuries after, Israel 
was scattered among the nations at the time of the Babylonian 
captivity, they undoubtedly carried fragments of God's promises 
and their hopes everywhere they went. 

Sure it is that whether it came as a result of an admixture of 
Jewish thought or because hope is an element of man's nature, 
or both, the whole world believes in a future life; and almost 
all believe that it will be everlasting. But such hopes are not 

(5) 



6 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

proofs of the doctrine; and the Old Testament promises, made 
to the Jews, are too vague to constitute a groundwork for a clear 
faith, much less for a "dogmatic theology" on this subject. It is 
not until we find, in the New Testament, the clear, positive 
statements of our Lord, and afterwards the equally clear state- 
ments of the Apostles on this momentous subject of Everlasting 
Life that we begin to exchange our vague hopes for positive 
convictions. In their words we not only have positive state- 
ments to the effect that the possibilities of a future life have 
been provided for all, but the philosophy of the fact and how it 
is to be attained and maintained are set forth there as nowhere 
else. Many have not noticed these points, and hence are "weak 
in the faith." Let us see what this philosophy is, and be more 
assured than ever that future life, everlasting life, is by our 
great and wise Creator's provision made a possibility for every 
member of the human family. 

Beginning at the foundation of this New Testament assurance 
of Life Everlasting, we find to our astonishment that it first of 
all admonishes us that in and of ourselves we have nothing 
which would give us any hope of everlasting life; that the life 
of our race was forfeited by the disobedience of our father 
Adam; that although he was created perfect, and was adapted 
to live forever, his sin not only brought to him the wages of sin 
— death — but his children were born in a dying condition, in- 
heritors of the dying influences. God's Law, like Himself, is 
perfect, and so was His creature (Adam) before he sinned; for 
of God it is written, "All His work is perfect." And God 
through His Law approves only that which is perfect, and con- 
demns to destruction everything imperfect. Hence the race of 
Adam, born in sin and "shapen in iniquity," has no hope of 
everlasting life except upon the conditions held out in the New 
Testament and called The Gospel — the good tidings — that a way 
back from the fall, to perfection, to Divine favor and everlast- 
ing life, has been opened up through Christ for all of Adam's 
family who will avail themselves of it. 

The keynote of this hope of reconciliation to God, and thus to 
a fresh hope of life everlasting, is laid in the statements (i) 
that "Christ died for our sins," and (2) that He "rose again for 
our justification"; for "the Man Christ Jesus gave Himself a 
Ransom [a corresponding price] for all." Adam and his race, 
which, when he sinned, was yet in him, and shared his sentence 
naturally, "have been redeemed [bought] by the precious blood 
[death] of Christ."— 1 Pet. 1 : 19. 

But although the Lord's provision is abundant for all, it is not 
applicable to any except on certain conditions; namely, that 
they strive to avoid sin and to live thenceforth in harmony with 
God and righteousness. Hence we are told that "Eternal Life 



Life and Immortality. 7 

is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6: 
2$.) The following Scripture statements are very clear On this 
subject: "He that hath the Son hath life [a right or privilege 
or grant of life as God's gift] ; but he that hath not the Son 
shall not see [perfect] life." — John 3: 36; 1 John 5: 12. 

None can obtain everlasting life except from Christ the Re- 
deemer and appointed Life-Giver; and the Truth which brings 
to us the privilege of manifesting faith and obedience, and thus 
"laying hold on eternal life," is called the "water of life" and 
the "bread of life." — John 4: 14; 6:40, 51. 

This everlasting life will be granted only to those who, when 
they learn of it, and the terms upon which it will be granted as 
a gift, seek for it, by living according to the spirit of holiness. 
They shall reap it as a gift-reward. — Rom. 6: 23 ; Gal. 6: 8. 

To gain this everlasting life we must become the Lord's 
"sheep," and follow the voice, the instructions, of the Shepherd. 
— John 10:26-28; 17:2, 3. 

The gift of Everlasting Life will not be forced upon any. On 
the contrary, it must be desired and sought and laid hold upon 
by all who would gain it. (1 Tim. 6: 12, 19.) It is thus a hope, 
rather than the real life, that God gives us now — the hope that 
ultimately we may attain it, because God has provided a way 
by which He can be just, and yet be the justifier of all truly 
believing and accepting Christ. 

By God's grace our Lord Jesus not only bought us by the sacri- 
fice of His life for ours, but He became our great High Priest, 
and as such He is now the "Author [source] of eternal salva- 
tion to all that obey Him." (Heb. 5:9.) "And this is the prom- 
ise which He hath promised us, even eternal life." — 1 John 2 : 25. 

"And this is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal 
life [now by faith and hope, and by and by actually, 'when He 
who is our life shall appear'], and this life is in His Son. He 
that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God 
hath not life." — 1 John 5: 11, 12. 

This everlasting life, made possible to Adam and all his race, 
by our Creator through our Redeemer, but intended for and 
promised to only the faithful and obedient, and which at present 
is given to these only as a hope, will be given actually to the 
faithful in the "resurrection." It will be noticed that the 
explicit promises of God's Word differ widely from the worldly 
philosophies on this subject. They claim that man must have a 
future everlasting life because he hopes for it, or in some cases 
fears it. But hopes and fears are not reasonable grounds for 
belief on any subject. Neither is there basis for the claim that 
there is something in man which must live on and on forever — 
no such part of the human organism is known or can be proved 
or located. 



8 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

But the Scriptural view of the subject is open to no such ob- 
jections : it is thoroughly reasonable to consider our existence, 
or life, as therein presented, as a "gift of God," and not an 
inalienable possession of our own. Furthermore, it avoids a 
great and serious difficulty to which the idea of the heathen 
philosophers is open; for when the heathen philosopher states 
that man cannot perish, that he must live forever, that eternal 
life is not a gift of God, as the Bible declares, but a natural 
quality possessed by every man, he claims too much. Such a 
philosophy gives everlasting existence not only to those who 
would use it well, and to whom it would be a blessing, but to 
others also, who would not use it well, and to whom it would be 
a curse. The Scripture teaching, on the contrary, as we have 
already shown, declares that this great and inestimably precious 
gift [life everlasting] will be given to those who believe and 
obey the Redeemer and Life-giver. Others, to whom it would 
be an injury, not only do not possess it now, but can never get it. 
"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life 
through Jesus Christ our Lord." The wicked (all who, after 
coming to a clear knowledge of the Truth, still wilfully disobey 
it) shall be cut off from among God's people in the Second 
Death. "They shall be as though they had not been." "They 
shall utterly perish." "Everlasting destruction" shall be their 
doom — a destruction which will last forever, from which there 
will be recovery, no resurrection. They will suffer the loss 
of everlasting life, and all of its privileges, joys and blessings — 
the loss of all that the faithful will gain. — Psa. 37:9, 20; Job 
10: 19; 2 Thess. 1 : 9. 

God's gift of life eternal is precious to all His people, and a 
firm grasp of it by the hand of faith is quite essential to a well- 
balanced and consistent life. Only those who have "laid hold on 
eternal life," by an acceptance of Christ and consecration to His 
service, are able properly and profitably to combat the tempests 
of life now raging. 

But now, having examined the hope of immortality from the 
ordinary understanding of that word — everlasting life — and 
having found that everlasting life is God's provision for all 
those of Adam's race who will accept it in "due time" under the 
terms of the New Covenant, we are prepared to go a step fur- 
ther and to point out that everlasting life and immortality are 
not synonymous terms, as people in general suppose. The word 
"immortal" means more than power to live everlastingly; and, 
according to the Scriptures, millions may ultimately enjoy ever- 
lasting life, but only a very limited "little flock" will be made 
immortal. Immortality is an clement, or quality, of the Divine 
nature, but not of human or angelic or any other nature than the 
Divine. And it is because Christ and His "little flock," His 



Life and Immortality. 9 

"Bride," are to be "partakers of the Divine nature" that they 
will be exceptions to all other creatures either in Heaven or on 
earth. — 2 Pet. 1 : 4. 

The word Immortal signifies not mortal — death-proof, inde- 
structible, imperishable. Any being whose existence is depend- 
ent in any manner upon another, or upon conditions such as 
food, light, air, etc., is not immortal. This quality inheres in 
Jehovah God alone, as it is written — "The Father hath life in 
'Himself' (John 5 : 26), i. e., His existence is not a derived one, 
nor a sustained one. "He only hath immortality" (1 Tim. 6: 16) 
as an innate, or original quality of being. This Scripture may 
be held to apply to our Lord Jesus Christ in His present and 
future condition, "highly exalted," "the express image of the 
Father's person." But even so understood, this passage would 
be subject to the rule of interpretation laid down by the same 
writer in 1 Cor. 15: 27: "It is manifest that He [the Father] is 
excepted" [in all comparisons; for He is the Fountain from 
which all blessings proceed]. These Scriptures being decisive 
authority on the subject, we may know beyond peradventure 
that men, angels, archangels, or even the Son of God before and 
during the time He "was made flesh and dwelt among us," were 
not immortal — all were mortal. 

But the word "mortal" does not signify dying, but merely die- 
able — possessing life dependent upon God for its continuance. 
For instance, angels not being immortal are mortal and could 
die, could be destroyed by God, if they become rebels against 
His wise, just and loving Government. In Him [in His provi- 
dence] they live and move and have their being. Indeed, of 
Satan who was such an angel of light, and who did become 
a rebel, it is distinctly declared that in due time he will be de- 
stroyed. (Heb. 2:14.) This not only proves that Satan is 
mortal, but it proves that angelic nature is a mortal nature — 
one which could be destroyed by its Creator. As for man, he is 
a "little lower than the angels" (Psa. 8:5), and consequently 
mortal also, as is abundantly attested by the fact that our race 
has been dying for six' thousand years, and that even the saints 
in Christ are exhorted to seek for immortality. — Rom. 2 : 7. 

So then, Adam did not become mortal by reason of sin, but 
was created mortal — by nature he was subject or liable to the 
death penalty. Had he been created immortal, nothing could 
have destroyed him ; for, as we have seen, immortality is a state 
or condition not subject to death, but death -proof. 

What, then, was Adam's condition before he sinned? and in 
what way did the curse, affect him? — What life had he to lose, 
if he was created mortal? We answer, that his condition in life 
was similar to that of the angels; he had life in full measure, a 
jife which he might have retained forever by remaining obedi- 



io Life — Death — Hereafter. 

ent to God. But because he was not death-proof, because he did 
not have "life in himself," but was dependent upon conditions of 
Divine pleasure and favor for its continuance, therefore God's 
threat, that if he disobeyed he should die, meant something. 
Had he not been mortal God's sentence would have been an 
empty threat. But Adam's perfect life, which would have been 
continued forever, had he continued obedient, was forfeited by 
disobedience, and he died. 

Jehovah God, "who only hath immortality," or "life in Him- 
self" originally, innately, and of whom are all things, having 
created various orders of beings, angelic and human, in His own 
moral and rational likeness, but mortal and not of His Divine 
nature, has declared that He designs a new creation — an order 
of beings not only morally and rationally in His resemblance, 
but in "the express image of His person," and partakers of His 
own "Divine nature" — a prominent constituent, or element of 
which is immortality. — 2 Pet. 1 : 4. 

With amazement we inquire, Upon whom shall this high 
honor and distinction be conferred? — upon angels or cherubim 
or seraphim? No; but upon His Son — His especially "First- 
born" and "Only-Begotton" Son, that He who was always His 
obedient Son "should in all things have the pre-eminence" over 
others. But before He could be so highly honored He must be 
tested, proved "worthy" of so great a distinction, and so high 
an exaltation "above His fellows." This test was in view when 
the sentence of death was pronounced upon Adam and all his 
children in his loins. The test was that He, Christ, should lay 
down His life as a Ransom-price for the life of Adam, and all 
who lost life in his transgression. And He was equal to the 
test, and gained the prize of the "Divine nature," "life in Him- 
self," "immortality." 

Consider Him, who, for the joy set before Him, endured the 
cross, despising the shame, and is now in consequence set down 
at the right hand [place of favor] of the Throne of God. He 
was rich, but for our sakes He became poor. Inasmuch as the 
man and race to be redeemed were human, it was needful that 
He become human so as to give the Ransom, or corresponding 
price. He therefore humbled Himself and took the bondman's 
form; and after He found Himself in fashion a man, He hum- 
bled Himself even unto death — the death of the cross. "Where- 
fore, God hath highly exalted Him [to the promised Divine 
nature, at His resurrection], and given Him a name that is 
above every name" (Jehovah's name excepted — 1 Cor. 15:27). 
— Heb. 12:3, 2; 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:8, 9. 

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and 
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and 
blessing !" — Rev. 5 : 9-12. 



Life and Immortality. il 

But more, the opulence of Divine favor does not stop with 
the exaltation of one, but has arranged that Christ Jesus, as the 
Captain, shall lead a company of sons of God to "glory, honor 
and immortality" (Heb. 2: 10; Rom. 2:7), each of whom, how- 
ever, must be a spiritual "copy," or likeness, of the "First- 
Begotten." And as a grand lesson of the Divine sovereignty, 
and as a sublime contradiction to all evolution theories, God 
elected to call to this place of honor (as "the Bride, the Lamb's 
Wife" and Joint-heir — Rev. 21:2, 9; Rom. 8:17), not the 
angels and the cherubs, but some from among the sinners re- 
deemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. God elected the 
number to be thus exalted (Rev. 7:4), and predestinated what 
must be their characteristics, if they would make their calling 
and election sure to a place in that company to be so highly hon- 
ored ; and all the rest is left to Christ, who worketh now as the 
Father worked hitherto.— John 5:17. 

The present Age, the Gospel Age, from Pentecost to the 
present, has been the time for the selection of this elect class, 
variously termed "the Church," "the Body of Christ," the 
"Royal Priesthood," "the Seed of Abraham" (Gal. 3:29), etc.; 
and the permission of evil still is for the purpose of developing 
these "members of the Body of Christ" and of furnishing them 
the opportunity of sacrificing their little and redeemed all, in the 
service of Him who bought them with His precious blood, and 
thus of developing in their hearts His spiritual likeness, that 
when, at the end of the Age, they are presented by their Lord 
and Redeemer before the Father, God may see in them "the 
image of His Son." — Col. 1 : 22; Rom. 8: 29. 

As the reward of "glory, honor and immortality," and all the 
other features of the Divine nature, were not conferred upon 
the "First-Begotten," until He had finished His course by com- 
pleting His sacrifice and obedience in death, so with the Church, 
His "Bride" — counted as one and treated collectively. As our 
Lord, the First-Born and Captain, "entered into His glory" at 
His resurrection ; as He there became partaker of the Divine 
nature fully, by being "born from the dead," "born of the 
Spirit" ; as He there was highly exalted to the Throne and 
highest favor ("right hand") of God, so He has promised that 
His Church, His "Bride," shall in her resurrection be changed, 
by resurrection power, from human nature to the glory, honor 
and immortality of the Divine nature. 

And so it is written respecting "the resurrection" of the 
Church : "Tt is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption 
[immortality]. Tt is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. Tt 
is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural 
body, it is raised a spiritual body." — 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 49. 

God's Plan of Salvation for the race of Adam is to extend to 



12 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

each member of it, during the Millennium, the offer of eternal 
life upon the terms of the New Covenant sealed for all with the 
precious blood of the Lamb. But there is no suggestion any- 
where that Immortality, the Divine Nature, will ever be offered 
or granted to any except the "elect" Church of the Gospel Age 
— the "little flock," "the Bride, the Lamb's Wife." For the 
others of Adam's race the offer will be "restitution" (Acts 3: 
19-21) to life and health and perfection of human nature — the 
same that Adam possessed as the earthly image of Go*d before 
his fall from grace into sin and death. And when at the close of 
the Millennial Age all the obedient of mankind shall have at- 
tained all that was lost in Adam and redeemed by Christ, then 
all, armed with complete knowledge and experience, and hence 
fully able to stand the test, will be tested severely (as was 
Adam), but individually; and only those found in fullest heart- 
sympathy, as well as in outward harmony with God and His 
righteous arrangements, will be permitted to go beyond the 
Millennium into the everlasting future or "world [Age] without 
end." All others will be destroyed in the Second Death — "de- 
stroyed from among the people." — Acts 3 : 23. 

But although there shall be no more death, neither sighing nor 
crying, it will not be because the victors of the Millennial Age 
will be crowned with Immortality, but because, having learned 
to judge between right and wrong and their effects, t«hey shall 
have formed characters in full accord with God and righteous- 
ness ; and because they will have stood tests which will demon- 
strate that they would not wish to sin if the way were opened 
and no penalties were attached. They will not have life in 
themselves, but will still be dependent upon God's provision of 
food, etc., for the sustenance of life. This is particularly stated 
in Rev. 21 : 4, 6, 8 ; 7 : 16, 17 ; Matt. 5 : 6. 

Seen in this, the Scriptural light, the subject of immortality 
shines resplendently. It leaves the way clear for the general 
"gift of God, eternal life," to be extended to all whom the 
Redeemer shall find willing to accept it upon the only terms 
upon which it could be a blessing; and it leaves the unworthy 
subject to the just penalty always enunciated by the great Judge 
of all, viz. : 

"The wages of sin is death." — Rom. 6: 23. 

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." — Ezek. 18: 4, 20. 

"He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the 
wrath of God [the curse, death'] abideth on him." — John 3: 36. 

Then again we find, on this subject as on others, that the 
philosophy of the Word of God is deeper as well as clearer, and 
more rational by far, than the heathen systems and theories. 
Praise God for His Word of Truth and for hearts disposed to 
accept it as the Revelation of the Wisdom and Power of God ! 



CHAPTER II 

THE WAGES OF SIN 

Eternal Torment. — Orthodox. — Heathen. — Unknown to the Scriptures. — 
The Clearly Taught Scriptural Penalty. — Just and Severe. — Jesus Silent 
on Eternal Torment. — Taught Another Doctrine. — The Ransom versus 
Eternal Torment. — The Wages of Sin, Not Eternal Life in Torment, but 
Death. — Scriptural, Reasonable and Factual Proofs against the Former 
and in Favor of the Latter. 

"The wages of sin is death." "By one man sin entered into the 
world, and death by [as a consequence of] sin" — Rom. 6:23; 5; 12. 

T HE TEACHING of "Orthodoxy," that the wages of sin is 
•*• everlasting torment, is emphatically contradicted by the 
above words of inspiration, and by many others, direct and indi- 
rect, which might be cited. How reasonable is the Bible state- 
ment, and how absurd the common view, which is founded 
neither in reason nor in the Scriptures, and which is in most 
violent antagonism to the Plan and Character of God, as pre- 
sented in His Word ! 

The eternal-torment theory had a heathen origin, though as 
held by the heathen it was not the merciless doctrine it after- 
ward became, when it gradually began to attach itself to nom- 
inal Christianity, during its blending with heathen philosophies 
in the second century. It remained for the great apostasy to 
tack to heathen philosophy the horrible details now so generally 
believed; to paint them upon the church walls, as was done in 
Europe; to write them in their creeds and hymns; and so. to 
pervert the Word of God as to give a seeming Divine support to 
the God-dishonoring error. The credulity of the present day, 
therefore, receives it as a legacy, not from the Lord or the 
Apostles or the Prophets, but from the compromising spirit 
which sacrificed truth and reason, and shamefully perverted the 
doctrines of Christianity, in an unholy ambition and strife for 
power, wealth and numbers. 

Eternal torment as the penalty for sin was unknown to the 
patriarchs of past ages; it was unknown to the Prophets of the 
Jewish Age ; and it was unknown to the Lord and the Apostles ; 
but it has been the chief doctrine of nominal Christianity since 
the great apostasy. It has been the scourge wherewith the 
credulous, ignorant and superstitious of the world have been 
lashed into servile obedience to tyranny. Eternal torment was 
pronounced against all who offered resistance to or spurned 
Rome's authority, and its infliction in the present life was begun 

(13) 



14 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

so far as she had the power; and the pains of Purgatory she 
promised, in such measure as she could dictate, to any of her 
votaries who showed the slightest disposition to be refractory. 
Under the terrible bondage of a superstitious reverence for self- 
exalted fellow-men, in dense ignorance of God's real Plan, and 
tormented with a wretched fear of eternal misery, the masses 
of men resigned both their reason and the Word of God. And 
even yet, under the increasing light of this twentieth century, 
men scarcely dare to think for themselves on religion and the 
Bible. — Isa. 29: 13. 

Let God's inspired writers be heard in opposition to heathen- 
ized Church traditions, and let reason judge which is the right 
view, and which the error. First, note the Old Testament — the 
Divine Revelation covering 4000 years. The Prophets of the Old 
Testament do not mention a word about eternal torment; but 
they do repeatedly mention destruction as the sinner's doom, and 
declare over and over again that the enemies of the Lord shall 
perish. The Law given to Israel through Moses never hinted 
at any other penalty than death, in case of its violation. The 
warning to Adam when placed on trial in Eden contained not 
the remotest suggestion of eternal torture in case of failure and 
disobedience; but, on the contrary, it clearly stated that the 
penalty would be death — "In the day that thou eatest thereof, 
dying, thou shalt die." — Gen. 2:17, margin. Compare 2 Pet. 3 : 8. 

Surely, if the penalty of disobedience and failure is everlast- 
ing life in torment, an inexcusable wrong was done Adam and 
the patriarchs and the Jewish people, when they were misin- 
formed on the subject, and told that death was the penalty. 
Surely Adam, the patriarchs or the Jews, were they ever to find 
themselves in eternal torment, where the various sectarian 
creeds of Christendom assert that the vast majority will find 
themselves, would have sufficient ground for an appeal for 
justice. Such, no less than the heathen billions who died with- 
out knowledge, and hence surely without faith, would have just 
ground for cursing the injustice of such a penalty, as ,a most 
atrocious misuse of power — first, in bringing them into a trial 
subject to so awful and unreasonable a penalty, without their 
consent ; and secondly, for leaving the one class wholly ignorant 
of such a penalty, and for misleading the others by telling them 
that the penalty of sin would be death — to perish. It must be 
admitted that the presumption to declare that death, destruction, 
perishing, and similar terms, mean life in torment, belongs to 
word-twisting theologians since the days of the Apostles; for, 
as we shall prove, the Apostles taught nothing of the kind. 

Look at the New Testament writings: St. Paul says he did 
not shun to declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27); 
and yet he did not write a word about eternal torment. Neither 



The Wages of Sin. 15 

did St. Peter nor St. James nor St. Jude nor St. John; though 
it is claimed that St. John did, in the symbols of Revelation. 
But since those who make this claim consider the book of Reve- 
lation a sealed book, which they do not and cannot understand, 
they have no right to interpret any portion of it literally, in 
violation of its stated symbolic character, and in direct opposi- 
tion to the remainder of the Bible, including St. John's plain 
non-symbolic epistles. 

Since the Apostles do not so much as mention eternal torment, 
all truth-seekers, especially Christians, should be interested to 
search what they do teach concerning the penalty of sin, remem- 
bering that they, and not the apostate church of the darker 
ages, taught "the whole counsel of God." The Apostle Paul 
states the matter thus: "The wages of sin is death" ; the diso- 
bedient "shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the 
presence of the Lord and from the glory of His Power" ; and 
"many walk, who are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose 
end is destruction." — Rom. 6:23; 2 Thess. 1:9; Phil. 3: 19. 

The Apostle John says : "The world passeth away, and the 
lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abide th forever. 
... He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth 
from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was man- 
ifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. . . . He 
that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth 
his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer hath 
eternal life abiding in him. . . . He that hath the Son hath life ; 
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." — 1 John 2 : 
17; 3:8, 14, 15; 5:12. 

The Apostle Peter says the disobedient "shall be destroyed 
from among the people"; that evil-doers "bring upon them- 
selves swift destruction" ; and that the Lord is not desiring 
"that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 
(Acts 3:23; 2 Pet. 2:1; 3:9.) The Apostle James says: 
"Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." "There is one 
Law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy." — Jas. 1:15; 4:12. 

No one who has studied the subject can consider the penalty 
of sin, as Scripturally set forth and defined, too slight a punish- 
ment. When understood, it is seen to be neither too slight nor 
too severe, but simply "a just recompense of reward." "The 
gift of God," says the Apostle, "is eternal life." And that gift, 
or favor, bestowed upon Adam, and through him upon his pos- 
terity, was to be lasting only on condition of its proper use, 
which was to glorify God in their well-being and well-doing, and 
not to dishonor Him by rebellion and sin. When God creates 
He reserves both the right and the power to destroy that which 
He considers unworthy of continuous existence. When man 
sinned, therefore, God simply withdrew the favor He had 

2 



16 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

granted, which had been misused, and death (destruction) fol- 
lowed, preceded naturally by the dying — pain, sickness, and 
mental, moral and physical decay. 

Had God not provided redemption through Christ, the death 
penalty which came upon our race in Adam would have been 
everlasting; but in Divine mercy all have been redeemed from 
death. Yet all must again, individually, come under the same 
Divine Law, which changes not; namely, "The wages of sin is 
death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord." — Rom. 6 : 23. 

Did our Lord Jesus ever use the expression, eternal torment? 
or even once hint that He came into the world to save men from 
eternal torment? No, never! Yet, if this were the truth, and 
they were in danger of a penalty so terrible for not receiving 
Him, it would have been neither just nor merciful in Him to 
have kept back a truth so important. He did tell them, however, 
that He came to save them from death, from perishing. Death, 
the penalty of sin, being against all, none could hope for a res- 
urrection to any future life, but all were hopelessly perishing, 
unless Christ should redeem them from death, to that which was 
lost to Adam — to righteousness and its privileges of everlasting- 
life and favor. The Lord's title, Savior, has a weight, too, in 
this examination. It does not imply a deliverer, or savior from 
torment, but a Savior from death. The Lord and the Apostles 
used the language of the Samaritans, and in that tongue the 
word for Savior signifies Life-Giver. 

What did our Lord say of His mission? we may well inquire. 
He said that He came "to preach deliverance to the captives." 
What captives could He refer to but the captives of sin, receiv- 
ing daily its wages — dying by inches and entering the great 
prison-house, the tomb ? He said He came to "open the prison- 
doors." What prison but the tomb? of which the Prophet also 
had spoken. (See Isa. 61 : 1 ; Luke 4: 18.) He declared that 
He came that mankind "might have life"; that He came "to 
give His life a Ransom for many" lives — in order that by believ- 
ing in Him men "should not perish, but have eternal life" ; and 
again, "Narrow is the way that leadeth unto life" and "broad is 
the way that leadeth to destruction." — John 10:10; Matt. 20: 
28; John 3: 16; Matt. 7:13. 

ft will generally be admitted by Christians claiming to be 
orthodox that our Lord Jesus redeemed mankind by His death ; 
that He endured willingly the penalty of man's sins, in order 
that man might be released from that penalty. "Surely He hath 
borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." "He was wounded 
for our transgressions ; He was bruised for our iniquities ; the 
chastisement for our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes 
we are healed." — Isa. 53 : 4, 5. 



The Wages of Sin. 17 

This being admitted it becomes an easy matter to decide, to an 
absolute, unquestionable certainty, what the penalty of our sins 
was, if we know what our Lord Jesus endured "when the chas- 
tisement for our peace" was inflicted upon His willing head. Is 
He suffering eternal torment for us? If so, that would thus be 
proven to be the penalty against our sins. But no one claims 
this, and the Scriptures teach to the contrary, that our Lord is 
now in glory, and not in torment, which is incontrovertible proof 
that the wages of sin is not torment. 

But what did our Lord do to secure the cancellation of our 
sins? What did He give when He laid down our Ransom-price 
— the price, or penalty, against sinners? Let the Scriptures 
answer. They repeatedly and explicitly declare that Christ died 
for our sins; that He gave His life a Ransom to secure life for 
the condemned sinners; that He bought us with His own 
precious blood; that for this purpose the Son of God was mani- 
fested in flesh ; that He might give His flesh for the life of the 
world; that as by man (Adam) came death, by man ("the Man 
Christ Jesus") might come the resurrection of the dead. — 1 Cor. 
15:3; Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:5,6; Hos. 13:14; 1 Cor. 6:20; 
1 Peter 1 : 18, 19; 1 John 3 : 8; John 6: 51 ; 1 Cor. 15:21. 

Is there room to question further the clear Bible doctrine that 
"the wages of sin is death"? Is there room to doubt further 
either the unscripturalness or the unreasonableness of the heath- 
enish dogma of eternal torment? 

As a supplement to the foregoing excellent discussion we sub- 
mit the following outline of another writer on the subject: The 
Wages of Sin — Is It Eternal Life in Torment or Death? — 
Which? 

I. It is not Eternal life in torment. 

A. The Scriptures nowhere teach eternal life in torment 
as Sin's Wage. 

B. It is contrary to Scriptural passages. 

C. It is contrary to Scriptural doctrines. 

D. It is contrary to itself, being impossible of infliction. 

E. It is contrary to God's character of perfect Wisdom, 
Power, Justice and Love. 

F. It is contrary to Christ's ransom — corresponding price 
— which was yielded up by death not by eternal tor- 
ment. 

G. It is contrary to a sound mind, making its advocates 
unreasonable, and its dupes in many cases insane. 

H. It is contrary to experience, which shows that not it, 
but another penalty is inflicted. 

I. It is contrary to Godliness, injuring real faith, hope and 
love, and spreading terror, unbelief, despair and hard- 
ness of heart. 



1 8 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

J. It is contrary to Reason, in that every instinct of sound 

reason revolts at such a penalty. 
K. It is contrary to the doctrine that sin will cease. 
L. It is contrary to the doctrine that evil will cease. 
M. It is contrary to the doctrine that Eternal life is areward. 
N. It is a heathen doctrine. 

O. It is a teaching of Satan and his fallen angels. 
P. It has been an animating motive of persecution by men 

who lacked the Lord's spirit, and were filled with the 

Adversary's spirit. 
0. It is an instrument of priestcraft. 
R. It is the papal counterfeit of the real penalty of sin. 
S. It is based upon a false view of the nature and qualities 

of the human soul. 
T. It is based on a false view of Hell. 
U. It is based on a false view of Eternal life. 
V. It is based on a false view of the Hereafter. 
W. It is based on false methods of interpretation. 
X. It is supported by false translations. 
Y. It is the heart of the first lie ever told. 
Z. Belief in its Scripturalness has made infidels of some 

of the best and brightest people. 
II. It is death. 

A. Its proof. 

a. Direct passages: Gen. 2:17; Jer. 31:30; Rom. 

1:32; 5:12,15,17; 6:16,21,23; 7:5; 1 Cor. 
15 : 21, 22, 56; James 1:15; 1 John 5 : 16. 

b. Parallel passages: Gen. 3: 19; Rom. 1 : 18; 5: 16, 

18, 19. 

B. Its Nature. 

a. Not life: Deut. 30:15, 19; Rom. 5:21; 6:23; 
8:13; Gal. 6:8. 

b. But extinction. 

1. Non-existence: Job 6: 15, 18; 7:9; Psa. 37: 

10, 35. 36; 49: 12; 104:35. 

2. Destruction: Job 31:3; Psa. 9:5; 37:38; 

145:20; Isa. 1:28; 1 Cor. 3:17; Phil. 3: 
19; 2 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 6:8; 2 Pet. 2:1, 
12; 3:15. 

3. A consuming: Psa. 104:35; Isa. 1:28; Heb. 

12 : 29. 

4. A devouring: Isa. 1:20; Heb. 10:26-28. 

5. A perishing: (a) proof, Job 4:9; 6: 15, 18; 

Psa. 73:27; Prov. it: 10: (b) the meaning 
of perishing: Psa. 37:20; Matt. 8:25, 32; 
Luke 1 1 : 50, 51 ; 13 : 33 ; John 3 : 16. 

6. A cutting off: Psa. 37:9, 16, 34, 38. 



The Wages of Sin. 19 

C. Its Effect : destruction to both soul and body. 

a. The wicked soul dies: Job 36: 14; Psa. 56: 13; 

116:8; 78:50; Isa. 53:10, 12; Ezek. 18:4, 20; 
Matt. 26 : 37 ; James 5 : 20. 

b. The dead soul is not alive : Psa. 22 : 29 ; 30 : 3 ; 
33:18, 19; Isa. 55:3; Ezek. 13:19; 1^:27. 

c. The dead soul ceases : Psa. 49 : 8. 

d. The wicked soul is destroyed: Psa. 35:17; 4 o: 

14; Prov. 6:32; Ezek. 22:27; Matt. 10:28; 
Acts 3 : 22,', James 3:12. 

e. The wicked soul is consumed: Isa. 10: 18. 

f. The wicked soul is devoured : Ezek. 22 : 25. 

g. The wicked soul perishes: Matt. 6:25, 26 (the 
Greek word for soul is here translated life). 

h. The wicked soul is cut off : Lev. 22 : 3 ; Num. 

15:30- 

D. Its Harmony. 

a. The Scriptures are vocal with it. 

b. It is in harmony with all Scripture passages. 

c. It is in harmony with all Scripture doctrines. 

d. It is self-harmonious, being capable of infliction. 

e. It is harmonious with God's Character. 

f. It is harmonious with Christ's Ransom, His death. 

g. It is harmonious w T ith a sound mind. 

h. It is harmonious with experience and observation. 

i. It is harmonious with piety. 

j. It is harmonious with reason. 

k. It is harmonious with the doctrine that sin will 

cease. 
1. It is harmonious with the doctrine that evil will 

cease, 
m. It is harmonious with the doctrine that Life is a 

gift-reward, 
n. It was a doctrine of God's people before the Dark 

Ages, 
o. It is the teaching of God and His servants. 
p. It instils religious tolerance and liberty, 
q. It is a proof of equality at the bar of Justice, 
r. It is the Christ's teaching on the penalty of sin. 
s. It is based on the real nature of the Soul. 
t. It is harmonious with the Bible Hell, 
u. It is based on the true view of Eternal life. 
v. It is based on the true view of the Hereafter. 
w. It is based on true methods of interpretation. 
x. It is supported by correct translations. 
y. It is the first doctrine taught our race by God. 
z. Belief in its Scripturalness has converted Infidels. 



CHAPTER III 
WHAT IS THE SOUL? 

God "Able to Destroy Both Soul and Body."— Lower Animals Also Are 
Souls.— Man s Finer Organism. — The Scripture Teaching on This— God's 
Provision for Our Living Again. — An Illustration — a Candle. — Questions 
with Inspired Answers. — Questions for the Reader. 

"He spared not their souls from death." — Psa. 78: 50. 

1? VERYBODY knows that the body dies, that it needs resup- 
' L- ply continually and that hence it cannot be immortal. But 
the Scriptures speak of souls. May it be that the soul is inde- 
structible ? — that God having made a soul cannot destroy it ? 

Reason tells us that, unless there is absolute proof to the 
contrary, the life of every creature is subject to the will of the 
Creator. Now notice that the Scriptures nowhere speak of the 
immortality of the soul, as some people seem to suppose — 
neither in the translations nor in the original text. Take a 
Concordance and try to find the expression "immortal soul," and 
thus you can quickly convince yourself that no such expression 
is found in the Scriptures. On the contrary, the Scriptures de- 
clare that "God is able to destroy both soul and body" ; and 
again, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." 

That which can die, which can be destroyed, is not immortal, 
is not proof against death, destruction. Hence the Scriptures 
cited prove that neither souls nor bodies are immortal. 

What, then, is the soul? 

The general idea of the soul is that it is an indefinable some- 
thing in us, but what it is or where it is located few attempt to 
explain. This unknown something is claimed to be the real, in- 
telligent being, while the body is merely its house or tool. A 
Methodist bishop once defined a soul, thus : "It is without in- 
terior or exterior, without body, shape, or parts, and you could 
put a million of them into a nutshell" ; — a very good definition 
of nothing, we should say ! 

The body is not the soul, as some affirm ; this is proved by our 
Lord's statement that "God is able to destroy both soul and 
body." And now, in view of the foregoing, if our minds be 
freed from prejudice, we ought to be able to learn something 
further on this subject by examining the inspired record of 
man's creation. Turning to Gen. 2:7, we read : — 

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, 
and breathed [Heb. blew] into his nostrils the breath [Heb. 

(20) 



What is the Soul? 21 

Wind] of life [Heb. lives plural — i. e., such as was common to 
all living animals] ; and man became a living soul" [i. e., a sen- 
tient being]. 

From this account it appears that the body was formed first, 
but it was not -a man, soul or being, until animated. It had eyes, 
but saw nothing; ears, but heard nothing; a mouth, but spoke 
nothing; a tongue, but no taste; nostrils, but no sense of smell; 
a heart, but it pulsated not; blood, but it was cold, lifeless; 
lungs, but they moved not. It was not a man, but a corpse, an 
inanimate body. 

The second step in the process of man's creation was to give 
vitality to the properly "formed" and in every way prepared 
body ; and this is described by the words "blew into his nostrils 
the breath of life." When a healthy person has been drowned, 
and animation is wholly suspended, resuscitation has, it is said, 
been effected by working the arms and thus the lungs as a 
bellows; and so gradually establishing the breath in the nostrils. 
In Adam's case it of course required no labored effort on the 
part of the Creator to cause the perfect organism which He had 
made to breathe the life-giving oxygen of the atmosphere. 

As the vitalizing breath entered, the lungs expanded, the blood 
corpuscles were oxygenized and passed to the heart, which 
organ in turn propelled them to every part of the body, awaken- 
ing all the prepared, but hitherto dormant, nerves to sensation 
and energy. In an instant the energy reached the brain, and 
thought, perception, reasoning, looking, touching, smelling, feel- 
ing and tasting commenced. That which was a lifeless human 
organism had become a man, a sentient being ; the "living soul" 
condition mentioned in the text had been reached. In other 
words, the term "living soul" means neither more nor less than 
the term "sentient being"; i. e., a being capable of sensation, 
perception, thought. 

Moreover, even though Adam was perfect in his organism, 
it was necessary for him to sustain life, soul or sentient being, 
by partaking of the fruits of the trees of life. And when he 
sinned, God drove him from the garden, "lest he put forth his 
hand, and take also of the tree [plural trees or grove] of life, 
and eat, and live forever [i. e., by eating continuously]." (Gen. 
3: 22.) How the fogs and mysteries scatter before the light of 
truth which shines from God's Word ! 

Thus, also, we see why it is that the Scriptures speak of 
"souls" in connection with the lower animals. They, as well 
as man, are sentient beings or creatures of intelligence, only of 
lower orders. They, as well as man, can see, hear, feel, taste 
and smell ; and each can reason up to the standard of his own 
organism, though none can reason as abstrusely nor on as high 
a plane as man. This difference is not because man has a 



22 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

different kind of life from that possessed by the lower animals ; 
for all have similar vital forces, from the same fountain or 
source of life, the same Creator; all sustain life in the same 
manner, by the digestion of similar foods, producing blood, and 
muscles, and bones, etc., each according to his kind or nature; 
and each propagates his species similarly, bestowing the life, 
originally from God, upon his posterity. They differ in shape 
and in mental capacity. 

Nor can it be said that while man is a soul (or intelligent 
being) beasts are without this soul-quality or intelligence, 
thought, feeling. On the contrary, both man and beast have 
sowZ-quality or intelligent, conscious being. Not only is this the 
statement of Scripture, but it is readily discernible as a fact, as 
soon as the real meaning of the word soul is comprehended, as 
shown foregoing. To illustrate: Suppose the creation of a 
perfect dog; and suppose that creation had been particularly 
described, as was Adam's, what difference of detail could be 
imagined? The body of a dog created would not be a dog until 
the breath of life would be caused to energize that body; — then 
it would be a living creature with sensibilities and powers all its 
own — a living soul of the lower order, called dog, as Adam, 
when he received life, became a living creature with sensibilities 
and powers all his own — a living soul of the highest order of 
flesh beings, called man. 

If the great difference between man and beast is not in the 
life which animates both, and not from lack of soul-power, which 
both possess, can it be that the difference is in their bodies? 
Yes; assuredly, the natural difference is physical, in addition 
to which is the fact that God has made provision for man's 
future, as expressed in His promises, while no such provision 
for a future life is made for beasts — nor are they organically 
capable of appreciating metaphysics. Other things being equal, 
the size and weight of the brain indicates capacity and intelli- 
gence. In this respect man has been more highly endowed than 
the brute, by the Creator. The brute has less brains than man, 
and what it has belongs almost exclusively to the selfish pro- 
pensities. Its highest conception of right and wrong is the will 
of its master, man; it cannot appreciate the sublime in morals 
or in nature ; the Creator did not give it such frram-capacity. 

But although, because of his fall into sin and death, man's 
condition is far from what it was in its original perfection when 
pronounced "very good" by the highest Judge — so that some, 
by the cultivation of the lower organs of thought and a failure 
to use the higher, intellectual faculties, have dwarfed the organs 
of the brain representing these higher faculties, yet the organs 
are still there, and are capable of development, which is not the 
case with the most nearly perfect specimens of the brute crea- 



What is the Soul? 23 

tion. So then it is in that the Creator has endowed man with a 
higher and hner organism, that He has made him to differ from 
the brute. • They have similar flesh and bones, breathe the same 
air, drink the same water, and eat similar food, and all are souls 
or creatures possessing intelligence; but man, in his better body, 
possesses capacity for higher intelligence and is treated by the 
Creator as on an entirely different plane. It is in proportion as 
sin degrades man from his original likeness of his Creator that 
he is said to be "brutish" — more nearly resembling the brutes, 
destitute of the higher and finer sensibilities. 

To this the Scripture testimony agrees. We read (Gen. 1: 
30), "To you it shall be for meat, and to every beast of the 
earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that 
creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life [Heb. 'nephesh 
chaiyaK — a living soul]." — Again (Gen. 1 : 20), "Let the waters 
bring forth the moving creature that hath life [Heb. — a living- 
soul]."— See marginal readings. 

The same lesson, that the life principle is no different in man- 
kind from what it is in all other creatures whose breath is taken 
through the nostrils, as distinguishing them from fish, is taught 
in the account of the destruction wrought by the Deluge. (Gen. 
6: 17; 7: 15, 22.) This is in full accord with King Solomon's 
statement that man and beast have all "one breath" [Heb. ruach, 
spirit of life] — one kind of life; and that "as the one dieth, so 
dieth the other." (Eccl. 3: 19.) When he asks (Eccl. 3:21), 
"Who knoweth the spirit of man that [it] goeth upward, and 
the spirit of the beast that [it] goeth downward to the earth?" 
he is controverting the heathen theory, which even at that time 
had begun to speculate that man had some inherent quality 
which would prevent his death, even when he seemed to die. 
The wise man challenges any proof, any knowledge, to such ef- 
fect. This challenge to others to produce proofs, or admit that 
they have no such knowledge, follows his statement of the truth 
on the subject in verses 19 and 20. 

The distinction between man and beast is not in the kind of 
breath or life, but in that man has a higher organism than other 
animals ; possessing moral and intellectual powers and qualities 
in the image or likeness of those possessed by the Creator, who 
has a still higher organism, of spirit, not of flesh. And, as 
already shown, man's hope for a future life lies not in his 
inherent powers, but in his Creator's gracious provision which 
centered in the redemption of every soul of man from death, 
by the great Redeemer, and the consequent provision that who- 
soever will may have everlasting life by resurrection, subject 
to the terms of the New Covenant. 

Our Redeemer "poured out His soul [being] unto death," "He 
made His soul [being] an offering for sin" (Isa. 53:10, 12); 



24 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

and it was the soul of Adam (and his posterity) that He thus 
bought with His precious blood — by making His soul (being) 
an offering for sin. Consequently souls were redeemed, and 
souls are to be awakened, resurrected. — Psa. 49: 15. 

Many suppose that the bodies buried are to be restored atom 
for atom, but, on the contrary, the Apostle declares, 'Thou 
sowest [in death] not that body which shall be." In the resur- 
rection God will give to each person (to each soul or sentient 
being) such a body as His infinite Wisdom has been pleased 
to provide; to the Church, the "Bride" selected in this Age, 
spirit bodies ; to the restitution class, human bodies, but not the 
same ones lost in death. — 1 Cor. 15:37, 38. 

As in Adam's creation, the bringing together of an organism 
and the breath of life produced a sentient being or soul, so the 
dissolution of these, from any cause, puts an end to sentient 
being — stopping thoughts and feelings of every kind. The soul 
(i. e., sentient being) ceases; the body returns to dust as it 
was; while the spirit or breath of life returns to God, who im- 
parted it to ^dam, and to his race through him. (Eccl. 12: 7.) 
It returns to God in the sense that it is no longer amenable to 
human control, as in pro-creation, and can never be recovered 
except by Divine power. Recognizing this fact, the Lord's in- 
structed ones commit their hope of future life by resurrection 
to God and to Christ, His now exalted Representative. (Luke 
23:46; Acts 7: 59.) So, then, had God made no provision for 
man's future life by a Ransom and a promised resurrection, 
death would have been the end of all hope for humanity. — 
1 Cor. 15: 14-18. 

But God has thus made provision for our living again; and 
ever since He made known His gracious Plan, those who speak 
and write intelligently upon the subject (for instance, the in- 
spired Scripture writers), as if by common consent, speak of 
the unconscious interim between death and the resurrection 
morning, in which sentient being is suspended, as a "sleep." 
Indeed, the illustration is an excellent one; for the dead will 
be totally unconscious of the lapse of time, and the moment of 
awakening will seem to them like the next moment after the 
moment of their dissolution. For instance, we read that speak- 
ing of Lazarus' death our Lord said, "Our friend Lazarus 
sleepeth; I go that I may awake him out of sleep." Afterward, 
because the disciples were slow to comprehend, He said, Laza- 
rus is dead." (John 11 : 11.) Were the theory of consciousness 
in death correct, is it not remarkable that Lazarus gave no ac- 
count of his experience during those four days? None will 
claim that he was in a "hell" of torment, for our Lord calls him 
His "friend"; and if he had been in Heavenly bliss our Lord 
would not have called him from it, for that would have been an 



What is the Soul? 25 

unfriendly act. But as our Lord expressed it, Lazarus slept, 
and He awakened him to life, to consciousness, to his sentient 
being, or soul returned or revived; and all this was evidently 
a favor greatly appreciated by Lazarus and his friends. 

The thought pervades the Scriptures that we are now in the 
night of dying and sleeping as compared with the morning of 
awakening and resurrection. "Weeping may endure for a night, 
but joy cometh in the morning."' — Psa. 30 : 5. 

The Apostles also frequently used this appropriate, hopeful 
and peaceful figure of speech. For instance, Luke says of 
Stephen, the first martyr, "He fell asleep" ; and in recording 
St. Paul's speech at Antioch he used the same expression, 
"David fell on sleep." (Acts 7:60; 13:36.) St. Peter uses 
the same expression, saying, "The fathers fell asleep." (2 Pet. 
3:4.) And St. Paul used it many times, as the following quo- 
tations show : — 

"The greater part remain unto this present, but some are 
fallen asleep." — 1 Cor. 15:6. 

"If there be no resurrection, . . . then they also which are 
fallen asleep in Christ are perished." — 1 Cor. 15: 13-18. 

"Christ is risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of 
them that slept." — 1 Cor. 15 : 20. 

"Behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep." — 1 
Cor. 15:51. 

"I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning 
them that arc asleep." — 1 Thess. 4: 13. 

"Them that sleep in Jesus, will God bring [from the dead] 
with [by] Him." 1 Thess. 4: 14. 

When the Kingdom, the resurrection time, comes, "we who 
are alive and remain unto the presence of the Lord shall not 
precede them that are asleep." — 1 Thess. 4: 15. 

They "fell asleep" in peace to await the Lord's Day — the Day 
of Christ, the Millennial Day — fully persuaded that He [Christ] 
is able to keep that which they committed unto Him against that 
Day. (2 Tim. 1 : 12.) This same thought runs through the Old 
Testament as well — from the time that God fi'rst preached to 
Abraham the Gospel of a resurrection; the expression, "He 
slept with his fathers," is very common in the Old Testament. 
But Job puts the matter in very forceful language, saying, "Oh, 
that Thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that Thou wouldst 
keep me secret until Thy wrath be [over] past !" The present 
dying time is the time of God's wrath — the curse of death being 
upon all, because of the original transgression. However, we 
are promised that in due time the curse will be lifted and a 
blessing will come through the Redeemer to all the families of 
the earth; and so Job continues, "All'the days of my appointed 
time will I wait, until my change come ; [then] Thou shalt call 



26 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

(John 5 : 25) and I will answer Thee; Thou shalt have a desire 
unto the work of Thine hands." (Job 14: 14, 15.) And we of 
the New Testament times read our Lord's response, "All that 
are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God" [call- 
ing them to awake and come to a full knowledge of God and to 
a full opportunity of everlasting life]. — John 5 : 25, 29. 

Let us illustrate the human and animal body, soul and spirit 
by something less complex and better understood generally ; for 
instance, an unlighted candle would correspond to an inani- 
mate human body or corpse, the lighting of the candle would 
correspond to the spark of life originally imparted by the 
Creator; the flame or light corresponds to sentient being or in- 
telligence or soul quality; the oxygenized atmosphere which 
unites with the carbon of the candle in supporting the flame 
corresponds to the breath of life or spirit of life which unites 
with the physical organism in producing soul or intelligent ex- 
istence. If an accident should occur which would destroy the 
candle, the flame, of course, would cease; so if a human or ani- 
mal body be destroyed, as by consumption or accident, the soul, 
the life, the intelligence, ceases. 

Or if the supply of air were cut off from the candle-flame, as 
by an extinguisher or snuffer, or by submerging the candle in 
water, the light would be extinguished even though the candle 
remained unimpaired. So the soul, life, existence, of man or 
animal would cease if the breath of life were cut off by drown- 
ing or asphyxiation, while the body might be comparatively 
sound. (Scripture Studies.) As the lighted candle might be 
used under favorable conditions to light other candles, but the 
flame once extinguished the candle could neither relight itself 
nor other candles, so the human or animal body while alive, as 
a living soul or being, can under Divine arrangement start or 
propagate other souls or beings — offspring; but so soon as the 
spark of life is gone, soul or being has ceased, and all power to 
think, feel or propagate has ceased. In harmony with this we 
read in the Scriptures of Jacob's children : "All the souls that 
came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls/' (Exod. 
1 : 5.) Jacob received his spark of life as well as his physical 
organism, and hence the united product of these, his soul or 
intelligent being, from Isaac, and thence from Adam, to whom 
alone God ever directly imparted life. And Jacob passed on 
the life and organism and soul to his posterity; and so it is 
with all humanity. 

A candle might be relighted by any one having the ability; 
but by Divine arrangement the human body, bereft of the spark 
of life, "wasteth away," "returneth to the dust from which it 
was taken," and the spark of life cannot be re-enkindled except 
by Divine power, a miracle. The promise of resurrection is 



What is the Soul? 27 

therefore a promise of a relighting, a re-enkindling of animal 
existence or soul; and since there can be no being or soul 
without a body and restored life-power or spirit, it follows that 
a promised resurrection or restoration of soul or being implies 
new bodies, new organisms. Thus the Scriptures assure us that 
human bodies which return to dust will not be restored, but that 
in the resurrection God will give such new bodies as it may 
please Him to give. — 1 Cor. 15:37-40. 

The Apostle here declares that in the resurrection there will 
be a special class accounted worthy of a new nature, spiritual 
instead of human or fleshly; and, as we should expect, he shows 
that this great change of nature will be effected by giving these 
a different kind of body. The candle may here again serve to 
illustrate: Suppose the fleshly or human nature to be illustrated 
by a tallow candle, the new body might be illustrated by a wax 
candle of a brighter flame or an electric arc-light apparatus. 

With any power and wisdom less than that of our Creator 
guaranteeing- the resurrection, we might justly fear some break 
or slip by which the identity would be lost, especially with those 
granted the great change of nature by a share in the first 
(chief) resurrection to spirit being. But we can securely trust 
this and all things to Him with whom we have to do in this 
matter. He who knows our very thoughts can reproduce them 
in the new brains so that not one valuable lesson or precious 
experience shall be lost. He is too wise to err and too good to 
be unkind; and all that He has promised He will fulfill in a 
manner exceedingly abundantly better than we can ask or think. 

The terms body, soul and spirit may be used of the Church 
collectively. For instance, the Apostle says: "I pray God 
[that] your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless, 
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess. 5:23.) 
This prayer must be understood to apply to the Church as a 
whole — the elect Church, whose names are written in Heaven. 
The true spirit has been preserved in the little flock. Its body 
is discernible today, also, notwithstanding the multitudes of 
cares that would hide as well as choke it. And its soul, its 
activity, its intelligence, its sentient being, is in evidence every- 
where, lifting up the standard of the people — the Cross, the 
Ransom. 

In no other way could we apply the Apostle's words; for, 
however much people may differ respecting the preservation of 
the individual spirits and souls of the people addressed, all will 
agree that their bodies have not been preserved, but have re- 
turned to dust, like those of others. Besides, the words body, 
soul and spirit are in the singular, not in the plural. 

Some questions with inspired answers will further elucidate 
matters; hence we submit them. 



28 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

Question. — Are the promises to the saints of the Gospel Age 
Heavenly or earthly promises? 

Answer. — "As we have borne the image of the earthly, we 
shall also bear the image of the heavenly." We are "partakers 
of the heavenly calling." — i Cor. 15:49; 2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 
3:1; 6:4; Phil. 3:14; Eph. 2:6, 7; 2 Thess. 1:11, 12; 2 
Tim. 1 : 9, 10. 

Question. — Will the elect Church, the "overcomers," the 
"saints," continue to be human beings, "of the earth earthy"? 

Answer. — "God hath given unto us exceeding great and 
precious promises, that by these we might become partakers of 
the divine nature" — "new creatures." — 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 5: 17; 
Rom. 8: 17, 18. 

Question. — When will the full change (begun in us by a 
change of heart, called the begetting of the Spirit) be com- 
pleted? — When shall we be made like Christ our Lord? 

Answer. — "We [saints] shall all be changed" . . . "The dead 
[saints] shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, 
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye . . . this mortal shall 
put on immortality." "Sown a natural [animal] body, it is 
raised a spiritual body." "Thus is the [special] resurrection 
of the [special, elect] dead." — 1 Cor. 15 : 50-53, 42-44; Phil. 3:11. 

Question. — Are full recompenses, either rewards or punish- 
ments, to be expected before the resurrection? 

Answer. — "Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of 
the just." — Luke 14: 14; Rev. 11: 18; Matt. 16:27. 

Question. — What is the hope held out for all except the elect 
Church of the Gospel Age? 

Answer. — "The whole [human] creation groaneth and trav- 
aileth in pain together until now, waiting for the manifestation 
of the sons of God [the saints]." Then shall follow "times of 
restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth 
of all His holy prophets since the world began," in which "all 
the families of the earth shall be blessed" through the elect 
"Seed" of Abraham. — Rom. 8:22, 19; Acts 3:19-21;' Gal. 3: 
16, 29. 

Question. — Are the dead conscious or unconscious? 

Answer. — The dead know not anything." — Eccl. 9:5; sa. 
146:4; Isa. 38: 18, 19. 

Question. — Have the departed saints been praising the Lord 
all along during the past ages ? 

Answer. — "The dead praise not the Lord." — Psa. 115:17; 
6:5; Eccl. 9: 6. 

Question. — Did the prophets receive their reward at death? 
or was it reserved in God's Plan to be given them at the begin- 
ning of the Millennium, the Age of Judgment? 

Answer. — "The time of the dead, that they should be judged, 



What is the Soul? 29 

and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the proph- 
ets," is at the beginning of the sounding of the last trumpet, the 
seventh trumpet, at the end of the Gospel Age. — Rev. 11:15, 
18; Psa. 17: 15. 

Question. — Were the Apostles promised translation to 
Heaven at death ? — or must they wait for the Lord's Second 
Coming ? 

Answer. — "As I said to the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot 
come; so now I say to you [Apostles]," "I will come again and 
receive you unto Myself." — John 13 : 33 ; 14 : 3. 

Question. — Was it proper for the saints of the Gospel Age, 
except such as would be living at the time of the Lord's return, 
to expect to be crowned at death ? 

Answer. — "When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall 
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." — 1 Pet. 5:4; 
2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 1 : 4, 5. 

Question. — Did the Apostles expect glory at death or at the 
Second Coming of Christ? 

Answer. — "When Christ who is our life shall appear, then 
shall ye also appear with Him in glory." — Col. 3:4; 1 John 3 : 2. 

Question. — Were the saints to "shine" in death? 

Answer. — "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 
shall awake, . . . and they that be wise shall shine as the 
brightness of the firmament [as the sun]." — Dan. 12: 2, 3; Matt. 

i3:40-43- 

Question. — Were the Ancient Worthies rewarded at death ? 

Answer. — "These all died in faith, not having received the 
promises; . . . that they without us should not be made per- 
fect." — Heb. 11 : 13, 39, 40. 

Question. — David was one of the holy prophets : Was he 
rewarded by being taken to Heaven ? 

Answer. — "David is not ascended into the Heavens." — Acts 
2 : 34. 

Question. — How many had gone to Heaven up to the time of 
our Lord's ascension? 

Answer. — "No man hath ascended up to Heaven but He that 
came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man." — John 3 : 13. 

Question. — Can He who created man destroy him? Can the 
soul be destroyed by its 'Creator ? 

Answer. — "Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and 
body in Gehenna [the 'Second Death']." "He spared not their 
souls from death." "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." — Matt. 
10:28; Psa. 78:50; Ezek. 18:4, 20; Psa. 22:29; Joshua 10: 
35; Isa. 38:17; Psa. 56:13; 30:3; 119:175; Matt. 26:38; 
Isa. 53: 10, 12. 

Question. — How great importance did the Apostle Paul attach 
to the doctrine of the resurrection? 



30 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

Answer. — "If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is 
not Christ risen. . . . Then they also which are fallen asleep in 
Christ are perished." — i Cor. 15: 13-18. 

Question. — Are the unjust now being tormented in some un- 
known hell? or do they always meet the full penalty of their 
unrighteousness in the present life? 

Answer. — "The Lord knoweth how to . . . reserve the unjust 
unto the day of judgment [the Millennial Day] to be punished." 
— 2 Pet. 2:9; Job. 21 : 30. 

Question. — What will be the end of those who when tried are 
found incorrigible — wilfully wicked? 

Answer. — They shall "go away into a cutting off from life," 
"be punished with everlasting destruction [a destruction which 
will never be terminated by a resurrection] ;" for still "The 
wages of sin is death," "the Second Death;" and still the gift 
of God, eternal life, is to be had only in Christ. "He that hath 
the Son hath life" ; he that hath not the Son shall not receive 
that gift. — Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:14, 15; Matt. 25:46; 1 John 
5 : 12; 2 Thess. 1 : 9. 

Question. — If hell (sheol) is a place of living torture, lighted 
with flames and hideous with the curses of its occupants suffer- 
ing torture, either mental or physical, why do the Scriptures de- 
clare it to be a place or state of silence, darkness, forgetfulness 
and absolute unconsciousness ? — Psa. 88 : 3-12 ; 6:5; Job 10 : 21, 
22; Eccl. 9:10; Psa. 146:4; Isa. 38:18. 

Question. — If God is able to destroy both soul and body in the 
Second Death, and if He declares that He will destroy the wil- 
fully and intelligently wicked, will not this prove that there will 
be no such thing as everlasting sin and everlasting agony ? And 
does not this clear God's character from charges of injustice? 

Question. — Are not these propositions intimately associated 
with all the doubts which have troubled you since you became 
a Christian, and perhaps before? And would not their Scrip- 
tural solution greatly assist in rooting, grounding and establish- 
ing your faith in the Bible as the inspired Word of God? This 
has been the blessed result with many who in their confusion 
were doubtful, skeptical and unsettled Christians, as well as with 
many open and even blasphemous infidels. It is the key which 
opens to the honest seeker the treasures of Divine wisdom and 
grace. Write us for a copy of our Magazine, The Herald of 
the Epiphany, which will give help along biblical lines not 
explained in this book. 



CHAPTER IV 
WHERE ARE THE DEAD? 

The Agnostic Answer. — The Heathen Answer. — The Catholic Answer. — 
Millions to Purgatory. — The Protestant Answer. — The Best of People 
Perplexed. — What Say the Scriptures? — Death, Not Torment, the Pen- 
alty. — God's Penalty a Just One. — "And the Dead Came Forth." — "All 
That Are in Their Graves." — Not Universalism. — Where Are the Dead? — 
Present Your Bodies Sacrifices. 

"Men and brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch 
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us 
unto this day. For David is not ascended into the heavens." (Acts 
2: 2Q, 34.) "And no man hath ascended up to Heaven but He that 
came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man." — John 3: 13. 

\\T HERE are our friends, our neighbors ; the holy, the unholy ; 
^* the civilized, the vile? The proper answer to this ques- 
tion stands related to our own destiny, colors and influences our 
theology and the entire trend of our lives ! The correct answer 
gives strength, confidence, courage, and assists towards the 
spirit of a sound mind ! For a man to declare himself uninter- 
tested in this subject would be to proclaim himself idiotic — 
thoughtless. If the ordinary affairs of this present life — food, 
raiment, finance, politics, etc. — which concern us but for a few 
years, are deemed worthy of thought, study, how much more 
concern should we have in respect to the eternal future of our- 
selves and neighbors and mankind in general ? 

Of course, so important a question has had the most profound 
study ever since the reign of Sin and Death began, six thousand 
years ago. By this time the subject should be threadbare. The 
entire world should be so thoroughly informed respecting this 
question that there would be nothing new to say and nobody 
curious to hear. . But the large audiences of intelligent, thought- 
ful people which come to hear, and which listen with breathless 
interest to what we have to say, imply that, after all the study 
the subject has had, but few are thoroughly satisfied with their 
conclusions. 

Before presenting what we claim is the Scriptural and only 
satisfactory answer to our query, we think it but proper respect 
to the intelligence and thought of our day and of past centuries 
to make general inquiries on the subject and have before our 
minds the most profound thoughts of the most astute thinkers 
of our race. We cannot, however, go into this matter elabo- 
rately and give lengthy quotations. We must content ourselves 

3 (31> 



32 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

with brief, synoptical answers, which will be stated kindly and 
truthfully, and with a desire not to offend anybody, however 
much we may disagree with his conclusions. We recognize the 
right of every man to do his own thinking and to reach his own 
conclusions, whether these agree with our conceptions or not. 

We begin our examination by asking our agnostic friends, 
who boast of their untrammeled freedom of thought, "What say 
you, Free-thinkers, in reply to our query, Where are the dead?" 
Their answer is, "We do not know. We would like to believe 
in a future life, but we have no proof of it. Lacking the evi- 
dences, our conclusion is that man dies as does the brute beast. 
If our conclusion disappoints your expectations in respect to 
there being joy for the saints, it certainly should be comforting 
to all as respects the vast majority of our race, who certainly 
would be much better off perished like the brute beast than to be 
preserved in torture, as the majority believe." 

We thank our agnostic friends fen* the courteous reply, but 
feel that the answer is not satisfactory, either to our heads or 
to our hearts, which cry out that there must, or should be, a 
future life; that the Creator made man with powers of mind 
and heart so superior to the brute that his pre-eminence in the 
Divine Plan should be expected. Furthermore, the brevity of 
the present life, its tears, its sorrows, its experiences, its lessons, 
will nearly all be valueless, useless, unless there be a future life 
— an opportunity for making use of these lessons. We must look 
further for some more satisfactory answer to our question. 

Since three-fourths of the world are heathen, the weight of 
numbers implies that they next should be asked for their solu- 
tion to the question — Where are the dead? Heathenism gives 
two general answers : 

( i ) Prominent among them are those which hold to Trans- 
migration. These reply to us, "Our view is that when a man 
dies he does not die, but merely changes his form. His future 
estate will correspond to his present living, and give him either 
a higher or a lower position. We believe that we lived on earth 
before, perhaps as cats/ dogs, mice, elephants, or what not, and 
that if the present life has been wisely used, we may reappear 
as men of nobler talents, as philosophers, etc.; but if, as usual, 
life has been misspent, at death we will be remanded to some 
lower form of being — an elephant, a worm, or what not. Tt is 
because of this belief that we are so careful in respect to our 
treatment of the lower animals and refuse to eat meat of any 
kind. Were we to trample ruthlessly on the worm, our punish- 
ment might be to be given a form in which we ourselves would 
be treated ruthlessly after the change which we call death." 

(2) The other large class of heathen believe in a spirit world 
with happy hunting grounds for the good and a hell of varied 



Where Are the Dead? 33 

torments for the wicked. We are told that when people seem 
to die they really become more alive than ever, and that the very 
moment they cross the river Styx they go to the realms of either 
the blessed or the forever doomed, and that there are steps, or 
degrees, of punishment and reward. We inquire, Where did you 
receive these views? The answer is, They have been with us 
for a long, long time. We know not from where they came. 
Our learned men have handed them down to us as truths, and 
we have accepted them as such. 

But Heathenism's answer is not satisfactory to our heads and 
hearts. We must look further. We must not trust to specula- 
tion. We must look for Divine Revelation — the Message from 
Him with whom we have to do — our Creator. 

Turning from Heathenism, we address our question to that 
intelligent one-fourth of the world's population known as Chris- 
tendom. We say, Christendom, What is your answer to the 
question? The reply is, "We are divided in our opinion, more 
than two-thirds of us holding the Catholic, and nearly one-third 
the general Protestant view." Let us hear the Catholic view 
(Greek and Roman) first, then, because age, as well as numbers, 
suggests such precedence. 

Catholic friends, give us, please, the results of your labors 
and studies, the conclusions of your ablest thinkers and theo- 
logians, in respect to the Revelation which you claim to have 
from God on this subject, Where are the dead? We will hear 
you thoughtfully, patiently, unbiasedly. Our Catholic friends 
respond: "Our teachings are very explicit along the lines of 
your question. We have canvassed the subject from every 
standpoint in the light of Divine Revelation. Our conclusion 
and teaching are that when any one dies he goes to one of three 
places : first the saintly, of whom we claim there are but a few, 
go immediately to the presence of God, to Heaven. These are 
referred to by our Lord, saying, 'Whosoever doth not bear his 
cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.' (Luke 14: 
27.) Those who faithfully bear the cross are the Little Flock, 
the Elect. Respecting these Jesus says, 'Strait is the gate, and 
narrow is the way, that leadeth to life, and few there be that find 
it.' (Matthew 7: 14.) These saintly do not include our clergy, 
not even our bishops, cardinals and popes ; for you will find that 
when any of these die it is a custom of the Church that masses 
be said for the repose of their souls. We would not say masses 
for any we believe to be in Heaven, because there surely is re- 
pose for every soul; neither would we say masses for them if 
we believed them to be in eternal hell, for masses could not avail 
them there. We might remark, however, that we do not teach 
that many go to the eternal hell. It is our teaching that only the 
incorrigible heretics — persons who have had a full knowledge of 



34 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

Catholic doctrines and who have wilfully and deliberately 
opposed them — these alone meet this awful, hopeless fate. 

"The dead in general, according to our teaching, pass immedi- 
ately to Purgatory, which is, as the name indicates, a place of 
purgation from sin, a place of penances, sorrows, woes, anguish 
indeed, but not hopeless. The period of confinement here may 
be centuries or thousands of years, according to the deserts of 
the individual and the alleviations granted. If you would know 
more particularly the Catholic teaching on this subject, we refer 
you to the writings of one of our great Catholics, the noted poet 
Dante, a loyal Catholic, at one time an Abbot, who died in a 
monastery with the full rights of the Church. Dante's poem, 
'Inferno,' graphically describes the tortures of Purgatory, as we 
understand the matter. You can procure at almost any library 
an illustrated copy of this great Catholic poem. 

"Dore, the artist, was also a prominent Catholic, and he por- 
trayed Dante's poem vividly and truthfully. The illustrations 
show the torments of Purgatory vividly — how the demons chase 
some until they leap over precipices into boiling water. They 
ply others with fiery darts. Others are burned with heads down- 
ward; others with feet downward in pits. Some are bitten by 
serpents. Still others are frozen, etc. We advise that you see 
Dante's work, Tnferno,' because it gives our Catholic view of 
the proper answer to your question, Where are the dead? The 
vast majority are in Purgatory. The billions of the heathen are 
there; because ignorance does not save, does not qualify for the 
Heavenly condition. All who enter Heaven must previously 
have been fitted and prepared in a manner impossible to the 
heathen. Millions of Protestants are there. They could not 
enter Heaven, except through the Catholic Church; neither 
would God deem them subjects of eternal hell, because their re- 
jection of Catholicism was due to the confession of faith under 
which they were born and environed. 

"Nearly all Catholics go to Purgatory, also, because, notwith- 
standing the good offices of our Church, our holy wate'r, confes- 
sions, masses, holy candles, consecrated burying ground, etc., 
nevertheless, not having attained to saintship of character, they 
would be excluded from Heaven until the distressing experi- 
ences of Purgatory would prepare their hearts for Heaven. We 
hold, however, that for the reason stated, Catholics will not need 
to remain so long in Purgatory as will the Protestants and 
Heathen." 

We can thank our Catholic friends for so kind a statement of 
their case. We will not ask them where their Purgatory is, nor 
how they obtain the details of information respecting it, because 
such questions might offend them, and we have no desire to 
offend. We merely wish for their ripest, clearest, maturest 



Where Are the Dead? 35 

thought respecting our question. We regret to say that the 
answer is not all that we might have hoped for in clearness and 
reasonableness and Scripturalncss. Our hearts are heavy with 
the thought that our poor race, by reason of original sin, is 
already, as the Apostle says, a "groaning creation," and the 
present life of a few years is full of trouble. It is saddening, 
discouraging to all of us, to think of being obliged to have, when 
present trials and difficulties are past, even for centuries (not to 
mention eternity), such awful experiences as Dante portrays, 
even though those centuries of anguish would purge us and fit 
us for the Divine presence and Heavenly glory. It may seem 
strange to some theologians, but it is nevertheless true, that the 
answer of Catholicism to our question is not much better than 
the answer of Heathendom. Neither our heads nor our hearts 
are yet satisfied. It cannot be wrong to look further for some- 
thing more satisfactory. 

We class ourself as a Protestant without thereby meaning any 
disrespect to anybody else. We assume that the majority of our 
readers are. Protestants. We remind you that many of us, in, 
times past, have been inclined to boast a little of Protestant 
"breadth of mind," "intelligence," "education," etc. May we 
not reasonably expect from Protestants a clear, logical, satisfac- 
tory answer to our question? Having found all the other 
answers unsatisfactory, and having now come to the one-twelfth 
portion of our race, which has had most advantage every way, 
we might reasonably expect to find in its answer the quintes- 
sence of wisdom and proof from every quarter and from every 
age. But what do we find, dear friends? With shame we say 
it, we find the very reverse ! We find that the voice of Protest- 
antism as a whole (barring numerically insignificant denomina- 
tions) gives the most absurd answer to our question that could 
be conceived — an answer which is put to shame by the Catholics, 
the heathen and the agnostics. Is not this marvelous ? Can this 
be? It is written, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." Bear 
with us, therefore, while we expose to you the weakness of our 
position as Protestants; not with a view to our vexation and 
shame, but with the thought that our intelligent investigation of 
the subject can be turned to our advantage and enable us to 
know the Truth and to lift the true, Divine standard before the 
people, to the intent that we and all may come to clearer views 
of our Heavenly Father's character, purposes and future deal- 
ings with our race. 

Permit us, as gently as possible, to touch this sore spot. The 
removal of the bandages and the cleansing of the sore may 
cause us pain, but the investigation should be helpful, neverthe- 
less. We got our name, Protestants, from the fact that our 
intelligent and well-meaning forefathers, who were Catholics, 



36 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

thought that they discovered inconsistencies and unscriptural- 
ness in Catholic doctrines in which they had been reared. They 
protested against these, and hence came the name Protestants. 
We cannot defend all that they did to their enemies nor all that 
their enemies did to them. 

One of the points of protest of our forefathers was that they 
could find nothing of Purgatory anywhere, nor any declaration 
respecting it in the Bible. With a simplicity that is certainly 
marvelous to us, they concluded that they would merely pick up 
their views of Purgatory and throw them away forever. This 
left them Heaven and Hell, into one of which, they said, every 
member of the race must go at death and there spend his eter- 
nity. Quite evidently these well-meaning forefathers of ours 
were not as long-headed, far-sighted and logical as we might 
have expected them to be, when they did not perceive the diffi- 
culty into which they were walking. Rather we should say, 
perhaps, that they did see something of the difficulty, but viewed 
matters differently from what we do. The theory of Calvin and 
Knox prevailed at that time amongst Protestants, and led each 
denomination to hope that it was God's Elect, and that it would 
constitute the Little Flock who would go to Heaven, while all 
the remainder of mankind would be consigned to an eternity of 
hellish torture. 

No longer does either Catholic or Protestant pray, 
"God bless me and my wife, 
My son John and his wife, 
Us four and no more." 

Both Catholics and Protestants, looking back to that period 
which we often term the Dark Ages, have reason to give thanks 
to God for the anointing of the eyes of our understanding, 
which enables us, we believe, to think more logically than our 
forefathers. Even those of us reared under the doctrine of 
Predestination have lost the idea that the heathen were passed 
by because they were predestinated to damnation. Instead, 
those who accepted the Westminster confession of -faith are 
today the most zealous in the preaching of the Gospel amongst 
the heathen by missionary effort. We are glad of this. It is a 
sign that our hearts are in truer and nobler condition, even 
though our heads have not yet gotten into proper adjustment 
with our hearts; and we still look at crooked doctrines and 
endeavor to imagine them altogether straight. 

Theoretically, Protestant doctrines stand with the Bible and 
with Catholics, and declare that Heaven is a place of perfec- 
tion ; that there can be no change to any who enter there ; hence 
that all trial, all refinement, all chiseling, all polishing of char- 
acter must be accomplished in advance of an entrance into the 
abode of the saints. In a word, we agree that only the saints 



Where Are the Dead? 37 

will ever enter there, the "pure in heart," the "overcomers," the 
"little flock," who now walk in the footsteps of Jesus. What 
about the remainder of mankind? Ah! there is the difficulty. 
Our larger hearts will not consent that all except the saints 
must suffer an eternity of torture, though this is the logic of our 
creeds. Our hearts protest, saying that three- fourths of hu- 
manity today are heathen, and that fully that proportion of 
humanity have never heard of God and the terms of salvation. 

Our creeds perplex us; for, as our hearts will not permit us 
to think of these poor creatures going to an eternity of misery, 
neither will our heads permit us to say that they are fit for 
Heaven. Indeed, it would be at variance not only with the 
Scripture, but also with reason itself, to suppose Heaven with 
three-fourths of its inhabitants unregenerate in every sense of 
the word. Our forefathers merely spoiled things for us when 
they threw away Purgatory and kept the remainder of such 
arrangement. If we must object to Purgatory as being unscrip- 
tural, must we not equally object to the eternal torment of all 
the families of the earth as being unscriptural, especially when 
the Bible declares that "all the families of the earth shall be 
blessed" through Christ — blessed with a knowledge of the Truth 
and opportunity to come into heart-harmony with God and 
attain everlasting life through Christ. We believe that it is 
necessary to press this point of the unreasonableness of the 
eternal torment doctrine. Nevertheless, we will remind you of 
what our prominent Protestant theories are on the subject: 

(1) The Calvinistic thought is that Divine Wisdom and 
Power planned for mankind in advance — knew of the fall of 
man in advance, and prepared therefor by the creating of a 
great place called Hell, and the manning of it with fire-proof 
devils, for the torment of the race — all except the Little Flock, 
the Elect. Love and Justice were left out of this calculation. 
(2) The other prominent Protestant theory, the Arminian, held 
today probably by the majority, insists that both Love and Jus- 
tice created the world and arranged the torment, and that Wis- 
dom and Power were not consulted ; hence that God has gotten 
into difficulty, while endeavoring to do justly and lovingly by 
His creatures, because lacking in power to render the needed 
aid. The entire difficulty, dear friends, is that, in our reasoning 
on the subject, we have merely asked the opinions of men and 
have not sought the Word of the Lord. 

We shall surprise you, we feel sure, when we bring to your 
attention now the clear, plain, reasonable, just, loving and wise 
Program of our Heavenly Father. It has been so long over- 
looked, so long buried under the rubbish of human tradition of 
the Dark Ages, that today "Truth is stranger than fiction." 
Well did our Lord, through the Prophet, declare ; 



38 Life — Death— Hereafter. 

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways 
higher than your ways, and My plans than your plans." — Isa. 

55:9- 

And what else should we expect than this — that God would 
be better than ourselves? Our Lord said, "Love your enemies, 
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and 
pray for them which despitefully use you." (Matt. 5:44.) "If 
thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink." 
(Rom. 12: 20.) In view of this, how strange to think that God 
would torture His enemies, and that eternally ; and not only so, 
but torture also those who are not especially His enemies — the 
ignorant, the heathen, all who do not become saints under 
present adverse conditions ! From only the one standpoint can 
we get order out of confusion and regain the proper respect for 
our Creator and His dealings with our race. That is the stand- 
point of the Truth, as revealed to us in the Bible. 

All of the foregoing theories, be it noticed, are based upon the 
assumption that death does not mean death — that to die is to 
become more alive than before death. In Eden it was God who 
declared to our first parents, "Ye shall surely die." It was 
Satan who declared, "Ye shall not surely die." Notice that 
heathen, as well as Christians, have accepted Satan's lie, and 
correspondingly rejected God's Truth. Do they not all agree 
with the serpent's statement, "Ye shall not surely die" ? Do they 
not all claim that the dead are alive — much more alive than 
before they died? This, dear friends, has been our common 
point of mistake. We have followed the wrong teacher, the one 
of whom our Lord said, "He abode not in the Truth," and "He 
is the father of lies." — John 8:44. 

These false doctrines have prevailed amongst the heathen for 
many, many centuries, but they gained an ascendancy in the 
Church of Christ during the Dark Ages, and had much to do 
with producing the darkness thereof. If our forefathers had 
believed God's testimony, "Thou shalt surely die," there would 
have been no room for the introduction of prayers for the dead, 
masses for their sins, frightful thoughts respecting their tor- 
ture. The Scriptures agree from first to last that "the dead 
know not anything" (Eccl. 9:5), and that "their sons come to 
honor and they know it not ; they come to dishonor and they 
perceive it not of them." (Job 14:21.) It is the Scriptures 
that tell us where the dead are and their condition — that they 
are experiencing neither joy nor sorrow, pleasure nor suffering; 
that they will have no knowledge of anything done under the 
sun until their awakening in the Resurrection. We remind you 
of the wise man's words, "Do with thy might what thy hand 
findeth to do, for there is neither wisdom nor knowledge nor 
device in the grave (Sheol) whither thou goest." (Eccl. 9: 10.) 



Where Are the Dead? 39 

We remind you that both in the Old Testament and in the New 
Testament it is* written of both the good and the bad that they 
"fell asleep" in death. We remind you that the Apostle Paul 
speaks of those who "sleep in Jesus," and of those who have 
"fallen asleep in Christ;" who, he declares, are perished if there 
be no resurrection of the dead. Could they perish in Heaven, 
or in Purgatory, or in a Hell of torment? Assuredly no one so 
teaches. They are already in a perished condition in the tomb ; 
and the perishing would be absolute, complete, unless a resurrec- 
tion be provided for their deliverance from the power of death. 
Hence we read, "God so loved the world that He gave His only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not 
perish, but have eternal life." — John 3:16. 

In a word, then, the Bible teaching is that man was made 
superior to all the brute creation — in the image and likeness 
of his Creator; that he possessed life in a perfect degree in 
Eden and might have retained it by full obedience. But in his 
trial, his testing, he failed, and came under the death sentence : 
"In the day that thou eatest thereof, dying, thou shalt die." 
(Gen. 2:17.) There the dying began, which, after nine hun- 
dred and thirty years, brought Father Adam to the tomb and 
involved all of his children in his weaknesses and death sen- 
tence. He died in the very day, which the Apostle Peter ex- 
plains was not a twenty-four-hour day, but a thousand-year day : 
"One day is with the Lord as a thousand years." — 2 Pet. 3 : 8. 

During six of these great Days, the death sentence has 
brought man down in some respects to the level of the brute, 
and left him without hope of future life, except as God might 
take compassion upon him and bring him relief. This was 
hinted at in the statement that "the Seed of the woman should 
bruise the serpent's head." It was yet further elaborated to 
Abraham, saying, "In thee and in thy Seed shall all the families 
of the earth be blessed." — Gen. 12:3; 2 & • 14. 

But not until four of the great thousand-year Days had passed 
did God send forth His Son to redeem the race, by meeting 
Father Adam's penalty, by dying, "the just for the unjust, that 
He might bring us to God." (1 Pet. 3 : 18.) As a result of that 
redemptive work accomplished at Calvary, there is to be "a res- 
urrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust" — a 
recovery from the death sentence, from the prison-house, the 
tomb. — Acts 24: 15. 

Note well the mistake made in assuming eternal torment as 
the wages of original sin, when the Scriptures explicitly declare, 
"The wages of sin is death" — not eternal torment. (Rom. 6: 
23.) We search the Genesis account of man's fall, and the 
sentence imposed, but find no suggestion of a future eternal 
torture, but merely of a death penalty. Repeating it the second 



40 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

time, the Lord said, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou 
return." (Gen. 3:19.) But He said not a word respecting 
devils, fire and torment. How, then, did the Adversary deceive 
our fathers, during the Dark Ages, with his errors, which the 
Apostle styles "doctrines of devils"? Note the fact that none of 
the prophecies mention any other than a death penalty for sin. 
Note that the New Testament likewise declares the same. St. 
Paul, who wrote more than one-half of the New Testament, 
assures us that he did "not shun to declare the whole counsel of 
God" (Acts 20: 27), yet says not a word about eternal torment. 
On the contrary, discussing this very matter of sin and its pen- 
alty, he says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the 
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for 
that all have sinned." (Rom. 5 : 12.) Note that it was not eter- 
nal torment that passed upon one man, nor upon all men, but 
death. If some one suggests that death would not be a sufficient 
penalty for sin, all we would need to do would be to point him to 
the facts, and thus prove his suggestions illogical. For the sin of 
disobedience Adam lost his paradisaic home — lost his perfect 
life and Divine fellowship, and instead got sickness, pain, sor- 
row, death. Additionally, all of his posterity, reasonably esti- 
mated at twenty thousand millions, disinherited so far as the 
blessings are concerned, have inherited weaknesses, mental, 
moral and physical, and are, as the Apostle declares, "a groan- 
ing creation." — Rom. 8 : 22. 

View the situation ! Twenty thousand millions born in sin 
and "shapen in iniquity" ! (Psa. 51:5.) A few short hours or 
days or years of trouble and disobedience brought them to their 
death bed; the weeping friends stood around with breaking 
hearts. They were carried to the tomb — "ashes to ashes; dust 
to dust." Reviewing the whole situation, and remembering that 
all the sickness, sorrow, pain, death, mental and moral decrepi- 
tude, result from Father Adam's transgression, what sane man 
would say that the penalty has been insufficient, and that Justice 
could and does further demand that these millions shall, at 
death, be hurried to a hell of endless woe, trouble — tormented by 
demons to all eternity? Dear friends, the person who thus 
reasons indicates to us that he either never had the power to 
reason, or that he has lost it. 

Let no one think the death penalty unjust and too severe. 
God could have blotted out Adam, the sinner, thus fulfilling the 
sentence. He could have blotted out the race instantly. But 
would we have preferred that? Assuredly not. Life is sweet, 
even amidst pain and suffering. Besides, it is the Divine pur- 
pose that present trials and experiences shall prove useful as 
disciplines, to prepare us for a wiser course than Father Adam 
took, when we shall be privileged to have a further individual 



Where Are the Dead? 41 

trial. Our race would have been without hope of future exist- 
ence, just as agnosticism claims, had it not been for Divine com- 
passion and the work of redemption. , 

Notice again why our Lord died for our redemption and see 
in that another evidence of the penalty. If the penalty against 
us had been eternal torment, our redemption from it would have 
cost our Lord that price. He would have been obliged to suffer 
eternal torment, the Just for the unjust. But eternal torment 
was not the penalty ; hence Jesus did not suffer that penalty for 
us. Death was the penalty, and hence, "Christ died for our 
sins." "By the grace of God He tasted death for every man." 
Whoever could pay Adam's penalty could settle with Divine 
Justice for the sins of the whole world, because Adam alone had 
been tried — Adam alone had been condemned. We, his children, 
were involved through him. Behold the wisdom and the econ- 
omy of our Creator ! The Scriptures assure us that He con- 
demned the whole world for one man's disobedience, in order 
that He might have mercy upon all through the obedience of 
another — Christ. We were condemned to death without our 
consent or knowledge. We were redeemed from death without 
our consent or knowledge. 

Some one may inquire, "Are we, therefore, without responsi- 
bility? Will there be no individual penalty upon us for individ- 
ual wrong doings"? We answer, "A just recompense of re- 
ward" will be meted out to all. But our eternal destiny can be 
settled only by ourselves, by our individual acceptance or rejec- 
tion of the grace of God. The Scriptures clearly inform us that 
every sin, in proportion to its wilfulness, brings a measure of 
degradation which involves "stripes," chastisements, correc- 
tions, to regain the lost standing. Thus the more mean and 
more wicked a man or woman may be, the greater will be his or 
her disadvantage in the resurrection time, and the more he will 
then have to overcome, to get back to all that was lost in Adam 
and redeemed by Christ. 

At His First Advent our Lord's miracles foreshadowed the 
great work which He, with His glorified Church, will accom- 
plish for the world during the Millennium. Then all the sick, 
lame, blind and dead will be revived, and if obedient, will be 
brought ultimately to full perfection. The disobedient will be 
destroyed in the Second Death. The most notable miracle 
which our Lord performed was the awakening of Lazarus, His 
friend. Jesus had been gone several days when Lazarus took 
sick, and of course knew about the matter. Nevertheless, Mar- 
tha and Mary sent Him a special message, saying, "Lord, behold 
he whom Thou lovest is sick." (John 11:3.) They knew of 
Jesus' power to heal, even by the word of His mouth. They had 
faith that if He could help strangers, He would surely be glad 



42 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

to assist His friend. But Jesus remained where He was and 
allowed Lazarus to die and a rude shock to come to the dear 
sisters. Then He said to His disciples, "Our friend Lazarus 
sleepeth." (John ii:ii.) Then, coming down to their com- 
prehension, he added, "Lazarus is dead ; and I am glad for your 
sakes that I was not there." — John n : 14, 15. 

He was glad to let His friend fall asleep in death, because it 
would provide a special opportunity for a special miracle. Then, 
with His disciples, He began the three days' journey to Bethany. 
We cannot blame the sorrowing sisters that they felt hurt that 
the Messiah should apparently neglect their interests. They 
knew that He had the power to .relieve them." Martha's gentle 
reproof was, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had 
not died." Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again." 
Martha saith unto Him, "I know that he shall rise again in the 
resurrection at the last day." (John 11:23, 24.) Notice that 
our Lord did not say, "Thy brother is not dead; thy brother is 
more alive than he ever was; he is in Heaven, or he is in Pur- 
gatory." Nothing of the kind ! Purgatory had not yet been in- 
vented, and He knew nothing of it. And as for Heaven, our 
Lord's testimony is, in our text, "No man hath ascended into 
Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven." Martha also 
was well informed. The errors of the Dark Ages had not yet 
supplanted the Truth. Her hope for her brother was the Scrip- 
tural one — that he would rise in the resurrection, in the last day, 
the Millennial Day, the seventh of the great thousand-year Days 
from creation. 

Our Lord explained that the power of resurrection was vested 
in Himself, that He was there with her, and could give relief 
to them without waiting. Martha told our Lord that it was too 
late; that putrefaction had set in by this time. But Jesus in- 
sisted on seeing the tomb, and when He arrived at it, He cried, 
"Lazarus, come forth !" And we read, "He that was dead 
came forth." (John 11:43, 44-) Mark well that it was not 
the living that came forth, but that Lazarus that was really 
dead. Mark well that he was not called from Heaven nor from 
Purgatory. 

What Jesus did for Lazarus He intimated He would ulti- 
mately do for Adam and his entire race. Note His words : 
"The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall 
hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth." (John 
5:28, 29.) Does this astonish us? If so, the reason is not far 
to seek. It is because we have got so far away from the teach- 
ings of the Bible, so fully immersed in the "doctrines of devils," 
we have come so fully to believe in the serpent's lie, "Ye shall 
not surely die," so blinded to the Lord's declaration, "Ye shall 
surely die," and, "The wages of sin is death." 



Where Are the Dead? 43 

The remainder of John 5 : 29 explains that there will be two 
general classes of the dead to come forth. First, those who 
have had their trial and who have passed it successfully ; second, 
all the remainder of mankind who have thus far failed to have 
Divine approval. The approved will come forth from the tomb 
unto a resurrection of life — perfection. The disapproved will 
come forth "unto a resurrection of judgment" (see Revised 
Version). The coming' forth is one thing. The resurrection is 
another. The Apostle explains that they will come forth, "every 
man in his own order." (1 Cor. 15:23.) On thus being awak- 
ened, the privilege will be theirs of rising up, up, up, out of 
present degradation — mental, moral, physical — to the glorious 
perfection which Father Adam enjoyed in the image and like- 
ness of his Creator. The uplifting or resurrection work St. 
Peter refers to as "the Restitution of all things, which God hath 
spoken by the mouth of all His Holy Prophets since the world 
began." — Acts 3:21. 

Nor does this mean universal everlasting life, for the Scrip- 
tures declare that such as refuse to profit by the glorious oppor- 
tunities of the Millennium, such as refuse to be uplifted to per- 
fection, shall be destroyed from amongst the people, in the 
Second Death — "They shall be as though they had not been." 
(Obad. 16.) We remind you again of our Lord's teaching on 
this subject. He entered the synagogue at Capernaum, and, 
being asked to read the lesson, He chose Isaiah, 61 st chapter, 
and read respecting Himself and His work — that a part of it 
would be "to open the prison doors and set at liberty the cap- 
tives." We are well aware that our Lord did not open any of 
the literal prisons, such as John the Baptist was confined in. He 
made no effort to succor him. The prison-house which Christ 
will open is the great prison-house, the tomb, which now holds 
approximately twenty thousand millions of our race. At His 
Second Advent our Lord will open this great prison-house and 
cause all the prisoners to come forth, just as truly as He did in 
the case of Lazarus. Nor will He call them from Heaven, Pur- 
gatory or Hell, but just as He declared, "Lazarus, come forth," 
so "all in their graves shall hear His voice and come forth." 

Dear friends, you have had before your minds the answers to 
our question from the highest to the lowest earthly authorities. 
None of them was satisfactory. Now you have heard the testi- 
mony of God's Word — the Divine declaration as to "Where are 
the dead?" Harkening to the voice from Heaven, we are as- 
sured that the dead are really dead, and that all their hopes as 
respects the future are centered, first, in the redemptive work 
of our Lord Jesus, accomplished at Calvary; and secondly, upon 
the work of resurrection which, at His Second Advent, He is to 
accomplish for those whom He redeemed. If perchance you 



44 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

have a shade of disappointment as respects a brother or sister, 
father or mother or child, whom you hoped was already in 
Heaven, then as a consolation, look at the other side of the 
question — behold how many of your loved ones, kith and kin, 
friends and foes and neighbors, according to your theory and all 
the prevalent theories, have been suffering untellable woe since 
their death, and would be suffering similarly for long centuries 
to come. Consider the relief of mind and heart you get from 
the knowledge of the Truth — that they are not alive anywhere, 
but simply dead, or, more poetically, they are "asleep in Jesus," 
in the sense that He is their Redeemer, in whom all their hopes 
of a future awakening reside. 

Briefly we remind you that although in this hour we have dis- 
carded theories long held, nevertheless they never were beauti- 
ful, never were reasonable, never were Scriptural. Are we not 
glad that in Divine Providence we now see the teachings of the 
Scriptures on this most important subject? With the fading of 
the error from our minds should come instead a great apprecia- 
tion of the true character of our God and a desire to worship 
and serve Him more reverently, more earnestly, than ever before. 
There should also come to us a greater reverence than ever for 
God's Book, the Bible. The fact that it has stood before the 
world for these many, many centuries, misrepresented by friends 
and foes, yet ultimately vindicated as the only Truth-teller on 
this important subject, is sufficient ground for our determination 
to adhere closely to its teachings in the future. 

Just a closing word! Our subject would lack a proper finish 
if we did not explain Scripturally why God has delayed the 
world's blessing, the resurrection, for nearly two thousand years 
since the death of Jesus. The reason is such a glorious one ! It 
must appeal to every true Christian heart and make it glad. It 
is this : 

God purposed the selection of the Church before the blessing 
of resurrection should go to the world. This Church is called 
sometimes "the Body of Christ, which is the Church," of, which 
Jesus is the Head. Again, it is styled "the Bride, the Lamb's 
Wife." Ever since Pentecost the Heavenly Father has been 
drawing believers to Jesus' side. After justifying them through 
faith in the precious blood, they have been invited to become 
Jesus' disciples, His followers, to walk in His steps, to lay down 
their lives in the Father's service, as Jesus did, and to develop 
in their hearts the fruits and graces of the Holy Spirit to such 
a degree that they might be called "copies of God's dear Son." 

The promise to these is not the resurrection of Restitution 
promised to the world during the Millennium. On the contrary, 
these have a "Heavenly Calling." After their consecration they 
are begotten of the Holy Spirit and then instructed in the 



Where Arc the Dead? 45 

School of Christ and subjected to trials and disciplines in vari- 
ous ways, for the purpose of chiseling and polishing their char- 
acters as New Creatures. These are a Little Flock, gathered, 
one here and one there; "saints" from all denominations, and 
from outside of all denominations, for "the Lord knoweth them 
that are His." When the predestinated number of the Elect 
shall have been selected and polished, the present Age will end. 
Our Lord will come in Second Advent glory and Power. His 
elect Bride will constitute the First Resurrection class, changed 
from earthly to heavenly nature, "in a moment," for "flesh and 
blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." — 1 Cor. 15 : 50, 52. 

Then will come the holy, invisible Millennial Kingdom, the 
binding of Satan and the destruction of his unholy, invisible 
kingdom, and the setting loose of agencies for the enlightening 
and uplifting of the whole race. 

To those of our readers who are the Lord's consecrated saints, 
we say, Lift up your heads, and realize more fully than ever 
before the glorious fulness of the "Heavenly Calling," of which 
you have been made partakers. Permit the love of God and of 
Christ to constrain you, be disciples indeed of Jesus, laying aside 
every weight and every besetting sin, running the race and 
pressing with vigor to its end and the crown of glory ! 

THE LOVE OF GOD 

There's a wideness in God's mercy 

Like the wideness of the sea; 
There's- a kindness in His justice, 

Though severe His judgments be. 

There's no place where earthly sorrows 

Are more felt than up in Heaven ; 
There's no place where earthly failings 

Have such kindly judgment given. 

For the love of God is broader 

Than the measure of man's mind; 
And the heart of the Eternal 

Is most wonderfully kind. 

But men make His love too narrow 

By false limits of their own; 
And they magnify His vengeance 

With a zeal He will not own. 

If our faith is true and simple, 

We will take Him at His Word, 
And our lives will be all sunshine 

In the sweetness of our Lord. 



CHAPTER V 
THE HELL OF THE BIBLE 

Various Views on Eternal Torment and Hell. — Their Effects. — Hell 
as an English Word. — Hell in the Old Testament. — All Texts in Which 
Sheol is Translated Hell. — All Other Texts Where Sheol Occurs — 
Rendered Grave and Pit. — Hell in the New Testament. — Hell from the 
Greek Word Hades. — Christ in and Resurrected from Hell — Hades. — Other 
Occurrences of the Word "Hell."— Gehenna Rendered Hell. — Shall be in 
Danger of Gehenna. — Matthew 5:22-30. — Able to Destroy Both Soul and 
Body in Gehenna.. — Undying Worms and Quenchless Fires. — Matthew 23: 
15. 33- — Set on Fire of Gehenna. — Tartaroo Rendered Hell. — Parable of 
the Rich Man and Lazarus. — The Great Gulf to Be Bridged. — Parable of 
the Sheep and the Goats. — The Final Adjustment of Human Affairs. — 
Everlasting Punishment. — "The Lake of Fire and Brimstone, Which is 
the Second Death.. — Revelation 21:8. — The Devil, Beast and False 
Prophet Tormented. — Turned Into Hell. — Did the Jews Believe in Eter- 
nal Torment? — Choose Life That Ye May Live. — Forgivable and Unfor- 
givable Sins. — Future Retribution. — Let Honesty and Truth Prevail. 

"To the Law and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to 
this Word, it is because there is no Light in them." — Isa. 8: 20. 

A CORRECT understanding of this subject has become almost 
-^*- a necessity to Christian steadfastness. For centuries it has 
been the teaching of "orthodoxy," of all shades, that God, before 
creating man, had created a great abyss of fire and terrors, 
capable of containing all the billions of the human family which 
He purposed to bring into being; that this abyss He had named 
"hell"; and that all of the promises and threatenings of the 
Bible were designed to deter as many as possible (a "little 
flock") from such wrong-doing as would make this awful place 
their perpetual home. 

As knowledge increases and superstitions fade, this monstrous 
view of the Divine arrangement and character is losing its 
force; and thinking people cannot but disbelieve the 'legend, 
which used to be illustrated on the church walls in the highest 
degree of art and realism, samples of which are still to be seen 
in Europe. Some now claim that the place is literal, but the fire 
symbolic, etc., etc., while others repudiate the doctrine of "hell" 
in every sense and degree. While glad to see superstitions fall, 
and truer ideas of the great, wise, just and loving Creator pre- 
vail, we are alarmed to notice that the tendency with all who 
abandon this long-revered doctrine is toward doubt, skepticism, 
infidelity. 

Why should this be the case, when the mind is merely being 
delivered from an error, do you ask? Because Christian people 
have so long been taught that the foundation for this awful 

(46) 



The Hell of the Bible. 47 

blasphemy against God's character and government is deep-laid 
and firmly fixed in the Word of God — the Bible — and, conse- 
quently, to whatever degree that belief in "hell" is shaken, to 
that extent their faith in the Bible as the revelation of the true 
God is shaken also ; so that those who have dropped their belief 
in a "hell" of some kind of endless torment, are often open 
infidels and scoffers at God's Word. 

Guided by the Lord's providence to a realization that the 
Bible has been slandered, as well as its Divine Author, and that 
rightly understood it teaches nothing on this subject derogatory 
to God's character, nor to an intelligent reason, we will attempt 
to lay bare the Scripture teaching on this subject, that thereby 
faith in God and His Word may be re-established in the hearts 
of His people, on a better, a reasonable foundation. Indeed, it 
is our opinion that whoever shall hereby find that his false view 
rested upon human misconceptions and misinterpretations, will, 
at the same time, learn to trust hereafter less to his own and 
other men's imaginings, and by faith to grasp more firmly the 
Word of God, which is able to make wise unto salvation. 

That the advocates of the doctrine of eternal torment have 
little or no faith in it is very manifest from the fact that it has 
no power over their course of action. W T hile the denominations 
of Christendom sustain the doctrine that eternal torment and 
endless, hopeless despair will constitute the punishment of the 
wicked, they are mostly quite at ease in allowing the wicked to 
take their course, while they pursue the even tenor of their way. 
Chiming bells and pealing organs, artistic choirs and costly 
edifices, upholstered pews and polished oratory, which more and 
more avoid any reference to this alarming theme, afford rest 
and entertainment to fashionable congregations that gather on 
the Lord's day, and are known to the world as churches of 
Christ and representatives of His doctrines. But they seem little 
concerned about the eternal welfare of the multitudes, or even 
of themselves and their own families, though one would natu- 
rally presume that with such awful pQssibilities in view they 
would be almost frantic in their efforts to rescue the perishing. 

The plain inference is that they do not believe it. The only 
class of people that to any degree show their faith in it by their 
works is the Salvation Army; and these are the subjects of 
ridicule from almost all other Christians, because they are some- 
what consistent with their belief. Yet their peculiar, and often 
absurd, methods, so strikingly in contrast with those of the Lord 
of whom it was written, "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause 
His voice to be heard in the street (Tsa. 42:2), are very mild 
compared with what might be expected, if they were fully con- 
vinced of the doctrine. We cannot imagine how sincere be- 
lievers of this terrible doctrine can peacefully go from day to 

4 



48 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

day about the ordinary affairs of life, or meet quietly in ele- 
gance every Sunday to hear an essay from the pulpit on the 
peculiar subjects often advertised. Could they do so while 
really believing all the time that, fellow mortals are dying at the 
rate of one hundred a minute, and entering 

"That lone land of deep despair," where 
"No God regards their bitter prayer" ? 

If they really believed this few saints could complacently sit 
there and think of those hurrying every moment into that awful 
state described by that good, well-meaning, but greatly deluded 
man, Isaac Watts (whose own heart was immeasurably warmer 
and larger than that which he ascribed to the great Jehovah), 
when he wrote the hymn — 

"Tempests of angry fire shall roll 

To blast the rebel worm, 
And beat upon the naked soul 
In one eternal storm." 

People often become frantic with grief when friends have 
been caught in some terrible catastrophe, as a fire, or a wreck, 
though they know they will soon be relieved by death ; yet they 
pretend to believe that God is less loving than themselves, and 
that He can look with indifference, if not with delight, at billions 
of His creatures enduring an eternity of torture far more ter- 
rible, which He prepares for them and prevents any escape from 
forever. Not only so, but they expect that they will get literally 
into Abraham's bosom, and will then look across the gulf and 
see and hear the agonies of the multitudes (some of whom 
they now love and weep over) ; and they imagine that they will 
be so changed, and become so like their present idea of God, so 
hardened against all pity, and so barren of love and sympathy, 
that they will delight in such a God and in such a plan. 

It is wonderful that otherwise sensible men and women, who 
love their fellows, and who establish hospitals, orphanages, 
asylums, and societies for the prevention of cruelty even to the 
brute creation, are so unbalanced mentally that they can believe 
and subscribe to such a doctrine, and yet be so indifferent about 
investigating its authority ! 

Only one exception can we think of — those who hold the 
ultra-Calvinistic doctrine ; who believe that God has decreed it 
thus, that all the efforts they could put forth could not alter the 
result with a single person ; and that all the prayers they could 
offer would not change one iota of the awful plan they believe 
God has marked out for His and their eternal pleasure. These 
indeed could sit still, so far as effort for their fellows is con- 
cerned; but why sing the praises of such a scheme for the 
damnation of their neighbors whom God has told them to love 
as themselves? 



The II ell of the Bible. 49 

Why not rather begin to doubt this "doctrine of devils," this 
blasphemy against the great God hatched in the "dark ages," 
when a crafty priesthood taught that it is right to do evil' that 
good may result? 

The doctrine of eternal torment was undoubtedly introduced 
by Papacy to induce pagans to join her and support her system. 
It flourished at the same time that "bull fights" and gladiatorial 
contests were the public amusements most enjoyed; when the 
Crusades were called "holy wars," and when men and women 
were called "heretics" and were often slaughtered for thinking 
or speaking contrary to the teachings of the Papacy; at a time 
when the Sun of Gospel Truth was obscure; when the Word of 
God had fallen into disuse and was prohibited to be read by any 
but the clergy, whose love of their neighbors was often shown 
in torturing "heretics" to induce them to recant and deny their 
faith and their Bibles — to save them, if possible, they explained, 
from the more awful future of "heretics" — eternal torture. 
They did not borrow this doctrine from the heathen, for no 
heathen people in the world have a doctrine so cruel, so fiendish 
and so unjust. Find it, whoever can, and show it up in all its 
blackness, that, if possible, it may be shown that the essence of 
barbarism, malice, hate and ungodliness has not been exclu- 
sively appropriated by those whom God has most highly favored 
with light from every quarter, and to w T hom He has committed 
the only oracle — His Word. Oh ! the shame and confusion that 
will cover the faces of many, even good men, who verily thought 
that they did God service while propagating this blasphemous 
doctrine, when they awake in the resurrection to learn of the 
love and justice of God, and when they come to know that the 
Bible does not teach this God-dishonoring, love-extinguishing, 
truth-beclouding, saint-hindering, sinner-hardening, "damnable 
heresy" of eternal torment. — 2 Pet. 2:1. 

But we repeat that, in the light and moral development of this 
day, sensible people do not believe this doctrine. However, since 
they think that the Bible teaches it, every step they progress in 
real intelligence and brotherly kindness, which hinders belief in 
eternal torment, is in most cases a step away from God's Word, 
which is falsely accused of being the authority for this teaching. 
Hence the second crop of evil fruit, which the devil's engraft- 
ment of this error is producing, is skepticism. The intelligent, 
honest thinkers are thus driven from the Bible into vain philoso- 
phies and sciences, falsely so-called, and into infidelity. Nor do 
the "worldly" really believe this doctrine, nor is it a restraint to 
crime, for convicts and the lower classes are its firmest adherents. 

But, says one, Has not the error done some good? Have not 
many been brought into the churches by the preaching of this 
doctrine in the past? 



50 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

No error, we answer, ever did real good, but always harm. 
Those whom error brings into a church, and whom the truth 
would not move, are an injury to the church. The thousands 
terrorized, but not at heart converted, which this doctrine forced 
into Papacy, and which swelled her numbers and her wealth, 
diluted what little truth was held before, and mingled it with 
their unholy sentiments and errors so that, to meet the changed 
condition of things, the "clergy" found it needful to add error to 
error, and resorted to methods, forms, etc., not taught in the 
Scriptures and useless to the truly converted whom the Truth 
controls. Among these were pictures, images, beads, vestments, 
candles, grand cathedrals, altars, etc., to help the unconverted 
heathen to a form of godliness more nearly resembling their for- 
mer heathen worship, but lacking the power of godliness. 

The heathen were not benefited, for they were still heathen in 
God's sight, but deluded into aping what they did not under- 
stand or do from the heart. They were added "tares" to choke 
the "wheat," without being profited themselves. The Lord tells 
who sowed the seed of this enormous crop. (Matt. 13:39.) 
The same is true of those who assume the name "Christian" 
today, who are not really at heart converted by the truth, but 
merely frightened by the error, or allured by promised earthly 
advantages of a social or business kind. Such add nothing to 
the true Church ; by their ideas and manners they become stum- 
bling blocks to the truly consecrated, and by their inability to 
digest the truth, the real food of the saints, they lead even the 
few true pastors to defraud the true "sheep" in order to satisfy 
the demands of these "goats" for something pleasing to their 
unconverted tastes. No ; in no way has this error accomplished 
good except in the sense that God is able to make even the 
wrath of man to praise Him. So also He will overrule this evil 
thing eventually to serve His purposes. When by and by all men 
(during the Millennium) shall come to see through this great 
deception by which Satan has blinded the world to God's true 
character, it will perhaps awaken in them a warmer, stronger 
love for God. 

Seeing, then, the unreasonableness of man's view, let us lay 
aside human opinions and theories and come to the Word of 
God, the only authority on the subject, remembering that 

"God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain." 

In the first place bear in mind that the Old Testament Scrip- 
tures were written in the Hebrew language, and the New Testa- 
ment in the Greek. The word "hell" is an English word some- 
times selected by the translators of the English Bible to express 
the sense of the Hebrew word sheol and the Greek words hades, 
tartaroo and gehenna — sometimes rendered "grave and "pit." 

The word "hell" in old English usage, before Papal theolo- 



The Hell of the Bible. 51 

gians picked it up and gave it a new and special significance to 
suit their own purposes, simply meant to conceal, to hide, to 
cover; hence the concealed, hidden or covered place. In old 
English literature records may be found of the helling of pota- 
toes — putting potatoes into pits; and of the helling of a house — 
covering or thatching it. The word hell was therefore properly 
used synonymously with the words "grave" and "pit," to trans- 
late the words sheol and hades as signifying the secret or hidden 
condition of death. However, the same spirit which was willing 
to twist the word to terrorize the ignorant is willing still to per- 
petuate the error; almost saying, "Let us do evil that good may 
come." 

If the translators of the Revised Version Bible -had been 
thoroughly disentangled from the Papal error, and thoroughly 
honest, they would have done more to help the English student 
than merely substitute the Hebrew word sheol and the Greek 
word hades as they have done. They should have translated the 
words. But they were evidently afraid to tell the truth, and 
ashamed to tell the lie ; and so gave us sheol and hades untrans- 
lated, and permitted the inference that these words mean the 
same as the word "hell" has become perverted to mean. Their 
course, while it for a time shields themselves, dishonors God 
and the Bible, which the common people still suppose teaches a 
"hell" of torment in the words sheol and hades. Yet any one can 
see that if it was proper to transjate the word sheol thirty-one 
times "grave" and three times "pit," it could not have been im- 
proper to so translate it in every other instance. 

A peculiarity to be observed in comparing these cases, as we 
will do shortly, is that in those texts where the torment idea 
would be an absurdity the translators of the King James Ver- 
sion have used the words "grave" or "pit;" while in all other 
cases they have used the word "hell"; and the reader, long 
schooled in the Papal idea of torment, reads the word "hell" 
and thinks of it as signifying a place of torment, instead of the 
grave, the hidden or covered place or condition. For example, 
compare Job 14: 13 with Psa. 86: 13. The former reads, "Oh, 
that Thou wouldst hide me in the grave [sheol], etc.," while the 
latter reads, "Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell 
[sheol]." The Hebrew word being the same in both cases, there 
is no reason why the same word "grave" should not be used in 
both. But how absurd it would have been for Job to pray to 
God to hide him in a hell of eternal torture ! The English reader 
would have asked questions and the secret would have gotten out 
speedily. 

While the translators of the Reformation times are somewhat 
excusable for their mental bias in this matter, as they were just 
breaking away from the old Papal system, our modern trans- 



52 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

lators, specially those of the recent Revised Version, are not 
entitled to any such consideration. Theological professors and 
pastors of congregations consider that they are justified in fol- 
lowing the course of the revisers in not explaining the meaning 
of either the Hebrew or Greek words sheol or hades and by 
their use of the words they also give their confiding flocks to 
understand that a place of torture, a lake of fire, is meant. 
While attributing to the ignorant only the best of motives, it is 
manifestly only duplicity and cowardice which induces educated 
men, who know the truth on this subject, to prefer to continue 
to teach the error inferentially. 

But not all ministers know of the errors of the translators 
and deliberately cover and hide those errors from the people. 
Many, indeed, do not know of them, having merely accepted, 
without investigation, the theories of their seminary professors. 
It is the professors and learned ones who are most blameworthy. 
These have kept back the truth about "hell" for several reasons. 
First, there is evidently a sort of understanding or etiquette 
among them, that if they wish to maintain their standing in the 
"profession" they "must not tell tales out of school"; i. e., they 
must not divulge professional secrets to the "common people," 
the "laity." Second, they all fear that to let it be known that 
they have been teaching an unscriptural doctrine for years 
would break down the popular respect and reverence for the 
"clergy," the denominations and the theological schools, and un- 
settle confidence in their wisdom. And, oh, how much depends 
upon confidence and reverence for men, when God's Word is so 
generally ignored ! Third, they know that many of the members 
of their sects are not constrained by "the love of Christ" (2 Cor. 
5 : 14), but merely by the fear of hell, and they see clearly, there- 
fore, that to let the truth be known now would soon cut loose 
the names and the dollars of many in their flocks; and this, to 
those who "desire to make a fair show in the flesh" (Gal. 6: 12) 
would seem to be a great calamity. 

But what will be the .judgment of God, whose character and 
plan are traduced by the blasphemous doctrine which these un- 
translated words help to support? Will He commend these 
unfaithful servants? Will He justify their course? Will the 
Chief Shepherd call these His beloved friends, and make known 
to them His further plans (John 15: 15) that they may misrep- 
resent them also to preserve their own dignity and reverence? 
Will He continue to send forth "things new and old," "meat in 
due season," to the household of faith, by the hand of the un- 
faithful servants? No, such shall not continue to be His mouth- 
pieces or to shepherd His flock. (Ezek. 34:9, 10.) He will 
choose instead, as at the First Advent, from among the laity — 
"the common people" — mouthpieces, and will give them words 



The Hell of the Bible. 53 

which none of the chief priests shall be able to gainsay or resist. 
(Luke 21 : 15.) And, as foretold, "the wisdom of their wise 
men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men 
shall be hid." — Isa. 29:9-19. 

The word "hell" occurs thirty-one times in the Old Testament, 
and in every instance it is sheol in the Hebrew. It does not 
mean a lake of fire and brimstone, nor anything at all resem- 
bling that thought: not in the slightest degree! Quite the re- 
verse: instead of a place of blazing fire it is described in the 
context as a state of "darkness" (Job 10:21); instead of a 
place where shrieks and groans are heard, it is described in the 
context as a place of "silence" (Psa. 115 : 17) ; instead of repre- 
senting in any sense pain and suffering, or remorse, the context 
describes it as a place or condition of forgetfulness (Psa. 88: it, 
12.) "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, in the 
grave [sheol] whither thou goest." — Eccles. 9: 10. 

The meaning of sheol is "the hidden state," as applied to 
man's condition in death, in and beyond which all is hidden, 
except to the eye of faith; hence, by proper and close associa- 
tion, the word was often used in the sense of grave — the tomb, 
the hidden place, or place beyond which only those who have the 
enlightened eye of the understanding can see resurrection, resti- 
tution of being. And be it particularly noted that this identical 
word sheol is translated "grave" thirty-one times and "pit" 
three times in our common version by the same translators — 
more times than it is translated "hell" ; and twice, where it is 
translated "hell," it seemed so absurd, according to the present 
accepted meaning of the English word "hell," that scholars have 
felt it necessary to explain, in the margin of modern Bibles, 
that it means grave. (Isa. 14: 9 and Jonah 2:2.) In the latter 
case, the hidden state, or grave, was the belly of the fish in 
which Jonah was buried alive, and from which he cried to God. 

(1) Amos 9:2. — "Though they dig into hell, thence shall 
Mine hand take them." [A figurative expression ; but certainly 
pits of the earth are the only hells men can dig into.] 

(2) Psa. 16:10. — "Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell; 
neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption." 
[This refers to our Lord's three davs in the tomb. — Acts 2: 31 ; 

3:i5-] 

(3, 4) Psa. 18:5 an d 2 Sam. 22:6 — margin. — "The cords of 
hell compassed me about." [A figure in which trouble is repre- 
sented as hastening one to the tomb.] 

(5) Psa. 55: 15. — "Let them go down quick into hell" — mar- 
gin, "the grave." 

(6) Psa. 9: 17. — "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all 
the nations that forget God." This text will be treated later, 
under a separate heading. 



54 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

(7) Psa. 86:13. — "Thou hast delivered my soul from the 
lowest hell" — margin, "the grave." 

(8) Psa. 116:3. — "The sorrows of death compassed me, and 
the pains of hell gat hold upon me." [Sickness and trouble are 
the figurative hands of the grave to grasp us.] 

(9) Psa. 139 : 8. — "If I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art 
there." [God's power is unlimited: even over those in the tomb 
He can and will exert it and bring forth all that are in the 
graves. — John 5 : 28.] 

(10) Deut. 32 : 22. — "For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and 
shall burn into the lowest hell." [A figurative representation of 
destruction, the utter ruin, of Israel as a nation— "wrath to the 
uttermost," as the Apostle called it, God's anger burning that 
nation to the "lowest deep" as Leeser here translates the word 
shcol. — 1 Thess. 2: 16.] 

(11) Job 11:8. — "It [God's wisdom] is as high as heaven; 
what canst thou do ? deeper than hell [than any pit] ; what 
canst thou know?" 

(12) Job 26:6. — "Hell [the tomb] is naked before Him, and 
destruction hath no covering." 

(13) Prov. 5 : 5. — "Her feet go down to death; her steps take 
hold on hell [i. e., lead to the grave]." 

(14) Prov. 7 : 2y. — "Her house is the way to hell [the grave], 
going down to the chambers of death." 

(15) Prov. 9: 18. — "He knoweth not that the dead are there, 
and that her guests are in the depths of hell." [Here the harlot's 
guests are represented as dead, diseased or dying, and many of 
the victims of sensuality in premature graves from diseases 
which also hurry off their posterity to the tomb.] 

(16) Prov. 15:11. — "Hell and destruction are before the 
Lord." [Here the grave is associated with destruction and not 
with a life of torment.] 

(17) Prov. 15:24. — "The path of life [leadeth] upward for 
the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." [This illus- 
trates the hope of resurrection from the tomb.] 

(18) Prov. 23: 14. — "Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and 
shall deliver his soul from hell" [i. e., wise correction will save 
a child from vicious ways which lead to premature death, and 
may also possibly prepare him to escape the "Second Death."'] 

(19) Prov. 27:20. — "Hell [the grave] and destruction are 
never full : so the eyes of man are never satisfied." 

(20) Tsa. 5:14. — "Therefore hell hath enlarged herself and 
opened her mouth without measure." [Here the grave is a 
symbol of destruction.'] 

(21, 22) Tsa. 14:9, 15. — "Hell [margin, grave] from beneath 
is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming." . . . "Thou 
shall be brought down tohell" [the grave — so rendered in verse n.] 



The Hell of the Bible. 55 

(23) Isa. 57:9. — "And didst debase thyself even unto hell." 
[Here figurative of deep degradation.] 

(24, 25) Ezek. 31 : 15-17. — "In the day when he went down 
to the grave, ... I made the nations to shake at the sound of 
his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend 
into the pit. . . . They also went down into hell with him, unto 
them that be slain with the sword." [Figurative and prophetic 
description of Babylon's fall ipto destruction, silence, the grave.] 

(26) Ezek. 32:21. — "The strong among the mighty shall 
speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him." 
[A continuation of the same figure representing Egypt's over- 
throw as a nation to join Babylon in destruction — buried.] 

(27) Ezek. ^2:27. — "And they shall not lie with the mighty 
that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to 
hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords 
under their heads ; but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, 
though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the 
living." [The grave is the only "hell" where fallen ones are 
buried and lie with their weapons of war under their heads.] 

(28) Hab. 2:5. — "Who enlargeth his desire as hell [the 
grave] and as death, and cannot be satisfied." 

(29) Jonah 2: 1, 2. — "Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his 
God, out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine 
affliction unto the Lord, and He heard me; out of the belly of 
hell cried I, and Thou heardest my voice." [The belly of the 
fish was for a time his grave — see margin.] 

(30, 31) Isa. 28:15-18. — "Because ye have said, We have 
made a covenant with death, and with hell [the grave] are we 
at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, 
it shall not come unto us, for we have made lies our refuge, and 
under falsehood have we hid ourselves : Therefore, saith the 
Lord, . . . Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and 
your agreement with hell [the grave] shall not stand." [God 
thus declares that the prevalent idea, by which death and the 
grave are represented as friends, rather than enemies, shall 
cease ; and men shall learn that death is the wages of sin, and 
that it is in Satan's power (Rom. 6 : 23 ; Heb. 2: 14) and not an 
angel sent by God.] 

Gen. 37 : 35. — "I will go down into the grave unto my son." 

Gen. 42 : 38. — "Then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with 
sorrow to the grave." [See also the same expression in 44: 29, 
31 : The translators did not like to send God's servant, Jacob, 
to hell simply because his sons were evil.] 

1' Sam. 2 : 6. — "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive : He bring- 
eth down to the grave, and bringeth up." 

I Kings 2 : 6, 9. — "Let not his hoar head go down to the grave 



56 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

with peace. . . . His hoar head bring Thou down to the grave 
with blood." 

Job 7 : 9. — "He that goeth down to the grave." 

Job 14:13. — "Oh, that Thou wouldst hide me in the grave, 
that Thou wouldst keep me secret until Thy wrath be past, that 
Thou wouldst appoint me a set time, and remember [resurrect] 
me!" 

Job 17 : 13. — "If I wait, the grave is mine house : I have made 
my bed in the darkness." [Job waits for resurrection — "in the 
morning."] 

Job 17:16. — "They shall go down to the bars of the pit 
[grave], when our rest together is in the dust." 

Job 21 : 13. — "They spend their days in mirth, and in a mo- 
ment go down to the grave." 

Job 24 : 19, 20. — "Drought and heat consume the snow waters : 
so doth the grave those which have sinned." [All have sinned, 
hence "Death passed upon all men," and all go down to the 
grave. But all have been redeemed by "the precious blood of 
Christ" ; hence all shall be awakened and come forth again in 
God's due time — "in the morning." Rom. 5 : 12, 18, 19.] 

Psa. 6:5. — "In death there is no remembrance of Thee; in 
the grave who shall give Thee thanks?" 

Psa. 30 : 3. — "O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from the 
grave: Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to 
the pit." [This passage expresses gratitude for recovery from 
danger of death.] 

Psa. 31 : 17. — "Let the wicked be ashamed; let them be silent 
in the grave." 

Psa. 49:14, 15, margin. — "Like sheep they are laid in the 
grave: death shall feed on them; and the upright [the saints — 
Dan. 7 : 2y] shall have dominion over them in the morning [the 
Millennial Morning] ; and their beauty shall consume, the 
grave being an habitation to every one of them. But God will 
redeem my soul from the power of the grave." 

Psa. 88. 3.— "My life draweth night unto the grave." , 

Psa. 89:48. — "Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the 
grave ?" 

Psa. 141 : 7. — "Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth." 

Prov. 1:12. — "Let us swallow them up alive as the grave: 
and whole, as those that go down into the pit" [i. e., as of an 
earthquake, as in Num. 16:30-33]. 

Prov. 30:15, 16. — "Four things say not, it is enough: the 
grave," etc. 

Eccl. 9: 10. — "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with 
thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor 
wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." 

Song of Solomon 8:6. — "Jealousy is cruel as the* grave." 



The Hell of the Bible.. 57 

Isa. 14: 11. — "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave." 

Isa. 38: 10. — "I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am de- 
prived of the residue of my years." 

Isa. 38:18. — "The grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot 
celebrate Thee : they that go down into the pit cannot hope for 
Thy truth." 

Num. 16:30-33. — "If . . . they go down quick into the pit, 
then shall ye understand. . . . The ground clave asunder that 
was under them, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed 
them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto 
Korah, and all their goods. They and all that appertained to 
them went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon 
them : and they perished from among the congregation." 

Ezek. 31 : 15. — "In the day when he went down to the grave." 

Hosea 13: 14. — "I will ransom them from the power of the 
grave; I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy 
plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. Repentance shall 
be hid from Mine eyes." [The Lord did not ransom any from a 
place of fire and torment, for there is no such place; but He 
did ransom all mankind from the grave, from death, the penalty 
brought upon all by Adam's sin, as this' verse declares.] 

The above list includes every instance of the use of the 
English word "hell" and the Hebrew word sheol in the Old 
Testament. From this examination it must be evident to all 
readers that God's revelations for four thousand years contain 
not a single hint of a "hell," such as the word is now under- 
stood to signify. 

In the New Testament, the Greek word hades corresponds 
exactly to the Hebrew word sheol. As proof see the quotations 
of the Apostles from the Old Testament, in which they render 
it hades. For instance, Acts 2 : 27, "Thou wilt not leave My 
soul in hades/' is a quotation from Psa. 16: 10, "Thou wilt not 
leave My soul in sheol." And in 1 Cor. 15:54, 55, "Death is 
swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave 
[hades], where is thy victory?" is an allusion to Isa. 25 : 8 : "He 
will swallow up death in victory," and to Hos. 13 : 14, "O death 
I will be thy plagues; O sheol, I will be thy destruction." 

Matt. 11 : 23. — "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto 
heaven, shalt be brought down to hell," Luke 10: 15: "Shalt be 
thrust down to hell." [In privileges of knowledge and oppor- 
tunity the city was highly favored or, figuratively, "exalted unto 
heaven" ; but because of misuse of God's favors, it would be 
debased, or, figuratively, cast down to hades, overthrown, de- 
stroyed. It is now so thoroughly buried in oblivion, that even 
the site where it stood is a matter of dispute. Capernaum is 
certainly destroyed, thrust down to hades.] 

Luke 16:23. — "In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in tor- 



58 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

ments." [A parabolic figure explained further along, under a 
separate heading.] 

Rev. 6:8. — "And behold a pale horse: and his name that sat 
on him was Death, and Hell followed with him." [Symbol of 
destruction or the grave.'] 

• Matt. 16: 18. — "Upon this rock I will build My Church; and 
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." [Although bitter 
and relentless persecution, even unto death, should afflict the 
Church during the Gospel Age, it should never prevail to her 
utter extermination; and eventually, by her resurrection, ac- 
complished by her Lord, the Church will prevail over hades — the 
tomb.] 

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, . . . Peter 
. . . lifted up his voice and said, . . . Ye men of Israel, hear 
these words : Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among 
you, . . . being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore- 
knowledge of God ['He was delivered for our offenses'], ye 
have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain : whom 
God hath raised up, having loosed the pains [or bands] of death, 
because it was not possible that He should be holden of it [for 
the Word of Jehovah had previously declared His resurrec- 
tion] ; for David speaketh concerning Him [personating or 
speaking for Him], 'I [Christ] foresaw the Lord [Jehovah] 
always before My face; for He is on My right hand, that I 
should not be moved. Therefore did My heart rejoice, and My 
tongue was glad; moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope, 
because Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell [hades, the tomb, 
the state of death], neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to 
see corruption. Thou [Jehovah] hast made known to Me 
[Christ] the ways of life/" (Acts 2: 1, 14, 22-31.) Here our 
Lord, as personified by the prophet David, expresses His faith 
in Jehovah's promise of a resurrection and in the full and 
glorious accomplishment of Jehovah's Plan through Him, and 
rejoices in the prospect. 

St. Peter then proceeds, saying — "Men and brethren, let me 
freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both 
dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day [so 
that this prophecy could not have referred to himself person- 
ally; for David's soul was left in "hell" — [hades], the tomb, the 
state of death — and his flesh did see corruption] : Therefore 
being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath 
to him, that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh, He 
would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before 
[prophetically], spake of the resurrection of Christ [out of 
"hell" — hades, the tomb — to which He must go for our offenses], 
that His soul was not left in hell [hades — the death state], 
neither His flesh did see corruption." Thus St. Peter presents 



The Hell of the Bible. 59 

a strong, logical argument based on the words of the prophet 
David — showing first, that Christ, who was delivered by God 
for our offenses, went to "hell," the grave, the condition of 
death, destruction (Psa. 16: 10) ; and, second, that according to 
promise He had been delivered from hell, the grave, death, de- 
struction, by a resurrection — a raising up to life; being created 
again, the same identical being, yet more glorious and exalted 
even to "the express image of the Father's person." (Heb. 1: 
3.) And now "this same Jesus" (Acts 2: 36), in His subsequent 
revelation to the Church, declares — 

Rev. 1 : 18. — "I am He that liveth and was dead, and, behold, 
I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell 
[hades, the grave] and of death." 

Amen ! Amen ! our hearts respond ; for in His resurrection 
we see the glorious outcome cf the whole Plan of Jehovah to be 
accomplished through the power of the Resurrected One who 
now holds the keys of the tomb and of death and in due time 
will release all the prisoners who are, therefore, called the 
"prisoners of hope." (Zech. 9: 12; Luke 4: 18.) No craft or 
cunning can by any possible device wrest these Scriptures entire 
and pervert them to the support of that monstrous and blasphe- 
mous Papal tradition of eternal torment. Had that been our 
penalty, Christ, to be our vicarious sacrifice, must still, and to all 
eternity, endure such torment, which no one will claim. But 
death was our penalty, and "Christ died for our sins," and "also 
for the sins of the whole world." — 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 John 2 : 2. 

Rev. 20: 13, 14. — "And the sea gave up the dead which were 
in it; and death and hell [the grave] delivered up the dead 
which were in them : and they were judged, every man, accord- 
ing to their works. And death and hell [the grave] were cast 
into the lake of fire: this is the Second Death." ["The lake of' 
fire" is the symbol of final and everlasting destruction. Death 
and hell [the grave] both go into it. There shall be no more 
death ; "the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." — 1 
Cor. 15 : 26 ; Rev. 21 : 4.] 

Having examined the word sheol, the only word in the Old 
Testament rendered "hell," and the word hades, most frequently 
in the New Testament rendered "hell," we now notice every re- 
maining instance in Scripture of the English word "hell." In 
the New Testament two other words are rendered "hell" — ge- 
henna and tartaroo, which we will consider in the order named. 

This word occurs in the following passages — in all twelve 
times:— Matt. 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Mark 
9:43-47; Luke 12:5; Jas. $\6. It is the Grecian mode of 
spelling the Hebrew words which are translated "Valley of 
Hinnom." This valley lay just outside the city of Jerusalem, 
and served the purpose of sewer and garbage burner to that 



6o " Life — Death — Hereafter. 



city. The offal, garbage, etc., were emptied there, and fires were 
kept continually burning to consume utterly all things deposited 
therein, brimstone being added to assist combustion and insure 
complete destruction. But no living thing was ever permitted 
to be cast into Gehenna. The Jews were not allowed to torture 
any creature. 

When we consider that in the people of Israel God was giving 
us object lessons illustrating His dealings and plans, present and 
future, we should expect that this Valley of Hinnom, or 
Gehenna, would also play its part in illustrating things future. 
We know that Israel's priesthood and temple illustrated the 
Royal Priesthood, the Christian Church as it will be, the true 
temple of God; and we know that their chief city was a figure 
of the New Jerusalem, the seat of Kingdom power and center 
of authority — the city (Government) of the Great King, Im- 
manuel. We remember, too, that. Christ's Government is repre- 
sented in the book of Revelation (Rev. 21 : 10-27) under the 
figure of a city — the New Jerusalem. There, after describing 
the class permitted to enter the privileges and blessings of that 
Kingdom — the honorable and glorious, and all who have right to 
the trees of life — we find it also declared that there shall not 
enter into it anything that defileth, or that worketh abomination, 
or maketh a lie ; but only such as the Lamb shall write as wor- 
thy of life. This city, which thus will represent the entire saved 
world in the end of the Millennium, was typified in the earthly 
city, Jerusalem ; and the defiling, the abominable, etc., the class 
unworthy of life everlasting, who do not enter in, were repre- 
sented by the refuse and the filthy, lifeless carcasses cast into 
Gehenna outside the city, whose utter destruction was thus 
symbolized — the Second Death. Accordingly, we find it stated 
that those not found worthy of life are to be cast into the "lake 
of fire" (Rev. 20: 15) — fire here, as everywhere, being used as a 
symbol of destruction, and the symbol, lake of fire, being drawn 
from this same Gehenna, or Valley of Hinnom. 

Therefore, while Gehenna served a useful purpose to the city 
of Jerusalem as a place for garbage burning, it, like the city it- 
self, was typical, and illustrated the future dealings of God in 
refusing and committing to destruction all the impure elements, 
thus preventing them from defiling the Holy City, the New 
Jerusalem, after the trial of the Millennial Age of judgment 
shall have fully proved them and separated with unerring accur- 
acy the "sheep" from the "goats." 

So, then, Gehenna was the type or illustration of the Second 
Death — final and complete destruction, from which there can 
be no recovery ; for after that, "there remaineth no more sacri- 
fice for sins," but only "fiery indignation which shall devour the 
adversaries." — Heb. 10:26. 



.. 



The Hell of the Bible. . . 61 

Let us remember that Israel, for the purpose of being used as 
types of God's future dealing with the race, was typically 
treated as though the Ransom had been given before they left 
Egypt, though only a typical lamb had been slain. When Jeru- 
salem was built, and the Temple — representative of the true 
Temple, the Church and the true Kingdom as it will be estab- 
lished by Christ in the Millennium — that people typified the 
world in the Millennial Age. Their priests represented the 
glorified Royal Priesthood, and their Law and its demands of 
perfect obedience represented the Law and conditions under the 
New Covenant, to be brought into operation for the blessing of 
all the obedient and the condemnation of all who, when granted 
fullest opportunity, will not heartily submit to the righteous 
ruling and laws of the Great King. 

Seeing then, that Israel's polity, condition, etc., pre-figured 
those of the world in the coming age, how appropriate that we 
should find the valley or abyss, Gehenna, a figure of the Second 
Death, the utter destruction in the coming age of all that is un- 
worthy of preservation; and how aptly, too, is the symbol, "lake 
of fire burning with brimstone" (Rev. 19: 20), drawn from this 
same Gehenna, or Valley of Hinnom, burning continually with 
brimstone. The expression, "burning with brimstone," adds 
force to the symbol, "fire," to express the utter and irrevocable 
destructiveness of the Second Death; for burning brimstone is 
the most deadly agent known. How reasonable, too, to expect 
that Israel would have courts and judges resembling or pre- 
figuring the judgments of the next Age; and that the sentence 
of those (figurative) courts of that (figurative) people under 
those (figurative) laws to that (figurative) abyss, outside that 
(figurative) city, would largely correspond to the (real) sen- 
tences of the (real) court and judges in the next Age. If these 
points are kept in mind, they will greatly assist us in understand- 
ing the words of our Lord in reference to Gehenna; for though 
the literal valley just at hand was named and referred to, yet 
His words carry with them lessons concerning the future Age 
and the antitypical Gehenna — the Second Death. 

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, 'Thou 
shalt not kill ; and whosoever shall kill shall be amenable to the 
judges' ; but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his 
brother without a cause shall [future — under the regulations of 
the real Kingdom] be amenable to the judges; and whosoever 
shall say to his brother, 'Raca [villain]' shall be in danger of the 
high council ; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool," shall be in 
danger of hell [Gehenna] fire." — Matt. 5:21, 22. 

To understand these references to council and judges and 
Gehenna, all should know something of Jewish regulations. The 
"Court of Judges" consisted of seven men (or twenty-three — 



62 t Life — Death — Hereafter. 

the number is in dispute), who had power to judge some classes 
of crimes. The High Council, or Sanhedrin, consisted of sev- 
enty-one men of recognized learning and ability. This consti- 
tuted the highest court of the Jews, and its supervision was over 
the gravest offenses. The most serious sentence was death; but 
certain very obnoxious criminals were subjected to an indignity 
after death, being refused burial and cast with the carcasses of 
dogs, the city refuse, etc., into Gehenna, there to be consumed. 
The object of this burning in Gehenna was to make the crime 
and the criminal detestable in the eyes of the people, and signi- 
fied that the culprit was a hopeless case. It must be remembered 
that Israel hoped for a resurrection from the tomb, and hence 
they were particular in caring for the corpses of their dead. 
Not realizing fully God's power, they apparently thought He 
needed their assistance to that extent. (Exod. 13 : 19; Heb. 11 : 
22; Acts 7:15, 16.) Hence the destruction of the body in 
Gehenna after death (figuratively) implied the loss of hope of 
future life by a resurrection. Thus to such Gehenna represented 
the Second Death in the same figurative way that they as a peo- 
ple illustrated a future order of things under the New Covenant. 

Notice that our Lord, in the above words, pointed out to them 
that their construction of the Law, severe though it was, was 
far below the real import of that Law, as it shall be interpreted 
under the real Kingdom and Judges, which theirs only typified. 
He shows that the command of their Law, "Thou shalt not kill," 
reached much farther than they supposed ; that malicious anger 
and vituperation "shall be" considered a violation of God's Law, 
under the New Covenant ; and that such as, under the favorable 
conditions of that new Age, will not reform so thoroughly as to 
fully observe God's Law will be counted worthy of that which 
the Gehenna near them typified — the Second Death. However, 
the strict severity of that Law will be enforced only in propor- 
tion as the discipline, advantages and assistance of that Age, 
enabling each to comply with its laws, shall be disregarded. 

The same thought is continued in Matt. 5:22-30-: "Ye have 
heard," etc., "but I say unto you ... it is better for thee to lose 
one of thy members, than that thy whole body should be cast 
into Gehenna/' 

Here again the operation of God's Law under the New Cove- 
nant is contrasted with its operation under the Old or Jewish 
Covenant, and the lesson of self-control is urged by the state- 
ment that it is far more profitable that men should refuse to 
gratify depraved desires (though they be dear to them as a 
right eye, and apparently indispensable as a right hand) than 
that they should gratify these, and lose, in the Second Death, 
the future life provided through the atonement for all who will 
return to perfection, holiness and God. 



The Hell of the Bible. 63 

These expressions of our Lord not only serve to show the 
perfection (Rom. 7: 12) of God's Law, and how fully it will be 
denned and enforced in the Millennium, but they served as a 
lesson to the Jews also, who previously saw through Moses' 
commands only the crude exterior of the Law of God. Since 
they found it difficult in their fallen state to keep inviolate even 
the surface significance of the Law, they must now see the im- 
possibility of their keeping the finer meaning of the Law re- 
vealed by Christ. Had they understood and received His teach- 
ing fully, they would have cried out, Alas ! if God judges us 
thus, by the very thoughts and intents of the heart, we are all 
unclean, all undone, and can hope for naught but condemnation 
to Gehenna (to utter destruction, as brute beasts). They would 
have cried, "Show us a greater priesthood than that of Aaron, 
a High Priest and Teacher able fully to appreciate the Law, and 
able fully to appreciate and sympathize with our fallen state and 
inherited weaknesses, and let Him offer for us 'better sacrifices,' 
and apply to us the needed greater forgiveness of sin, and let 
Him as a Great Physician heal us and restore us, so that we can 
obey the perfect Law of God from our hearts." Then they 
would have found Christ. 

But this lesson they did not learn, for the ears of their under- 
standing were "dull of hearing" ; hence they knew not that God 
had already prepared the very Priest and Sacrifice and Teacher 
and Physician they needed, who in due time redeemed those 
under the typical Law, as well as all not under it, and who also 
"in due time," shortly, will begin His restoring work — restoring 
sight to the blind eyes of their understanding, and hearing to 
their deaf ears. Then the "vail shall be taken away" — the vail 
of ignorance, pride and human wisdom which Satan now uses 
to blind the world to God's Law and Plan of Salvation. 

And not only did our Lord's teaching here show the Law of 
the New Covenant, and teach the Jew a lesson, but it is of bene- 
fit to the Gospel Church also. In proportion as we leant the ex- 
actness of God's Law, and what would constitute perfection 
under its requirements, we see that our Redeemer was perfect, 
and that we, totally unable to commend ourselves to God as 
keepers of that Law, can find acceptance with the Father only in 
the merit of our Redeemer, while none can be of that "Body," 
covered by the robe of His righteousness, except the consecrated 
who endeavor to do only those things well pleasing to God, 
which includes the avoidance of sin to the extent of ability. Yet 
their acceptability with God rests not in their perfection, but 
upon the perfection of Christ, so long as they abide in Him. 
These, nevertheless, are benefited by a clear insight into the 
perfect Law of God, even though they are not dependent on the 
perfect keeping of it. They delight to do God's will to the 

5 



64 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

extent of their ability, and the better they know His perfect 
Law, the better they are able to rule themselves and to conform 
to it. So to us also the Lord's words have a lesson of value. 

The point, however, to be specially noticed here is that Ge- 
henna, which the Jews knew, and of which our Lord spoke to 
them, was not a lake of fire to be kept burning to all eternity, 
into which all would be cast who get "angry with a brother" and 
call him a "fool." No; the Jews gathered no such extreme idea 
from the Lord's words. The eternal torment theory was un- 
known to them. It had no place in their theology, as will be 
shown. It is a comparatively modern invention, coming down, 
as we have shown, from Papacy — the great apostasy. The point 
is that Gehenna symbolizes the Second Death — utter, complete 
and everlasting destruction. This is clearly shown by its being- 
contrasted with life as its opposite. "It is better for thee to 
enter into life halt, or maimed, than otherwise to be cast into 
Gehenna." It is better that you should deny yourselves sinful 
gratifications than that you should lose all future life, and perish 
in the Second Death. 

"Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the 
soul : but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul 
and body in hell [Gehenna]/' (Matt. 10: 28.) See also another 
account of the same discourse by Luke — 12 : 4, 5. 

Here our Lord pointed out to His followers the great cause 
they had for courage and bravery under the most trying circum- 
stances. They were to expect persecution, and to have all man- 
ner of evil spoken against them falsely, for His sake, and for 
the sake of the "Good Tidings" of which He made them the min- 
isters and heralds; yea, the time would come, that whosoever 
would kill them would think that he did God a service. Their 
consolation or reward for this was to be received, not in the 
present life, but in the life to come. They were assured, and 
they believed, that He had come to give His life a Ransom for 
many, and that all in their graves must in consequence, in due 
time, hear the Deliverer's voice and come forth, either to re- 
ward (if their trial had been passed in this life successfully), 
or future trial or judgment, as must be the case with the great 
majority who do not, in this present life, come to the necessary 
knowledge and opportunity essential to a complete trial. 

Under present conditions men are able to kill our bodies, but 
nothing that they can do will affect our future being (soul), 
which God has promised shall be revived or restored by His 
power in the Resurrection Day — the Millennial Age. Our re- 
vived souls will have new bodies (spiritual or natural — "to each 
'seed' his own [kind of] body"), and these none will have liberty 
to kill. God alone has power to destroy utterly — soul and body. 
He alone, therefore, should be feared, and the opposition of men 



The Hell of the Bible. 65 

even to the death is not to be feared, if thereby we gain Divine 
approval. Our Lord's bidding then is, Fear not them which can 
terminate the present (dying) life in these poor, dying bodies. 
Care little for it, its food, its clothing, its pleasures, in compari- 
son with that future existence or being which God has provided 
for you, and which, if secured, may be your portion forever. 
Fear not the threats, or looks, or acts of men, whose power can 
extend no farther than the present existence; who can harm 
and kill these bodies, but can do no more. Rather have respect 
and deference to God, w T ith whom are the issues of life everlast- 
ing — fear Him who is able to destroy in Gehenna, the Second 
Death, both the present dying existence and all future hope. 

Here it is conclusively shown that Gehenna as a figure repre- 
sented the Second Death — the utter destruction which must en- 
sue in the case of all who, after having fully received the oppor- 
tunities of a future being or existence through our Lord's sacri- 
fice, prove themselves unworthy of God's gift, and refuse to 
accept it, by refusing obedience to His just requirements. For 
it does not say that God will preserve soul or body in Gehenna, 
but that in it He can and will "destroy" both. Thus we are 
taught that any who are condemned to the Second Death are 
hopelessly and forever blotted out of existence. — Matt. 18:8, 9; 
Mark 9 : 43-48. 

[Since these two passages refer to the same discourse, we 
quote from St. Mark — remarking that verses 44 and 46, and part 
of 45, are not found in the oldest Greek MSS., though verse 48, 
which reads the same, is in all Manuscripts. We quote the text 
as found in these ancient and reliable MSS.] "If thy hand of- 
fend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life 
maimed, than having two hands to go into Gehenna, into the 
fire that never shall be quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, 
cut it off : it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having 
two feet to be cast into Gehenna. And if thine eye offend thee, 
pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of 
God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into Gehenna, 
where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched." 

After reading the above, all must agree with the Prophet that 
our Lord opened His mouth in figures and obscure sayings. 
( Psa. 78 : 2 ; Matt. 13:35.) No one for a moment supposes that 
our Lord advised the people to mutilate their bodies by cutting 
off their limbs, or gouging out their eyes. Nor does He mean 
us to understand that the injuries and disfigurements of the 
present life will continue beyond the grave, when we shall "enter 
into life." The Jews, whom the Lord addressed, having no con- 
ception of a place of everlasting torment, and who knew the 
word Gehenna to refer to the valley outside their city, which 
was not a place of torment, nor a place where any living thing 



66 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

was cast, but a place for the utter destruction of whatever might 
be cast into it, recognizing the Lord's expression regarding limbs 
and eyes to be figurative, knew that Gehenna also was used in 
the same figurative sense to symbolize utter destruction. 

The Lord meant simply this: The future life, which God has 
provided for redeemed man, is of inestimable value, and it will 
richly pay you to make any sacrifice to receive and enjoy that 
life. Should it even cost an eye, a hand or a foot, so that to all 
^ eternity you would be obliged to endure the loss of these, yet life 
would be cheap at even such a cost. That would be better far 
than to retain your members and lose all in Gehenna. Doubt- 
less, too, the hearers drew the lesson as applicable to all the 
affairs of life, and understood the Master to mean that it would 
richly repay them to deny themselves many comforts, pleasures 
and tastes, dear to them as a right hand, precious as an eye, and 
serviceable as a foot, rather than by gratification to forfeit the 
life to come and be destroyed in G.ehenna — the Second Death. 

But what about the undying worms and the unquenchable fire? 

We answer, in the literal Gehenna, which is the basis of our 
Lord's illustration, the bodies of animals, etc., frequently fell 
upon ledges of rocks and not into the fire kept burning below. 
Thus exposed, these would breed worms and be destroyed by 
them, as completely and as surely as those which burned. No 
one was allowed to disturb the contents of this valley; hence the 
worm and the fire together completed the work of destruction — 
the fire was not quenched and the worms died not. This would 
not imply a never-ending fire, nor everlasting worms. The 
thought is that the worms did not die off and leave the carcasses 
there, but continued and completed the work of destruction. So 
with the fire : it was not quenched, it burned on until all was 
consumed. Just so if a house were ablaze and the fire could not 
be controlled or quenched, but burned until the building was de- 
stroyed, we might properly call such an "unquenchable fire." 

Our Lord wished to impress the thought of the completeness 
and finality of the Second Death, symbolized in Gehenna. All 
who go into the Second Death will be thoroughly and completely 
and forever destroyed; no ransom will ever again be given for 
any (Rom. 6:9); for none worthy of life will be cast into the 
Second Death, or lake of fire, but only those who love unright- 
eousness after coming to the knowledge of the truth. 

Not only in the above instances is the Second Death pointedly 
illustrated by Gehenna, but it is evident that the same Teacher 
used the same figure to represent the same thing in the symbols 
of Revelation, though there it is not called Gehenna, but a "lake 
of fire." 

The same valley was once before used as a basis of a dis- 
course by the Prophet Isaiah. (Isa. 66:24.) Though he gives 



The Hell of the Bible. 67 

it no name, he describes it ; and all should notice that he speaks, 
not as some with false ideas might expect, of billions alive in 
flames and torture, but of the carcasses of those who trans- 
gressed against the Lord, who are thus represented as utterly 
destroyed in the Second Death. 

The two preceding verses show the time when this prophecy 
will be fulfilled, and it is in perfect harmony with the symbols 
of Revelation : it appertains to the New Dispensation, the Mil- 
lennium, the "new heavens and new earth" condition of things. 
Then all the righteous will see the justice as well as the wisdom 
of the utter destruction of the incorrigible, wilful enemies of 
righteousness : "They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." 

The class addressed in Matt. 23: 15, 33 was not the heathen 
who had no knowledge of the truth, nor the lowest and most 
ignorant of the Jewish nation, but the Scribes and Pharisees, 
outwardly the most religious, and the leaders and teachers of 
the people. To these our Lord said, "How can ye escape the 
judgment of Gehenna?" These men were hypocritical; they 
were not true to their convictions. Abundant testimony of the 
truth had been borne to them," but they, refused to accept it, and 
endeavored to counteract its influence and to discourage the 
people from accepting it. And in thus resisting the Holy Spirit 
of light and truth, they were hardening their hearts against the 
very agency which God designed for their blessing. Hence they 
were wickedly resisting His grace, and such a course, if pursued, 
must eventually end in condemnation to the Second Death, 
Gehenna. Every step in the direction of wilful blindness and 
opposition to the truth makes return more difficult, and makes 
the wrong-doer more and more of the character which God 
abhors, and which the Second Death is intended to utterly de- 
stroy. The Scribes and Pharisees were progressing rapidly in 
that course : hence the warning inquiry of our Lord, "How can 
ye escape?" etc. The sense is this : Although you boast of your 
piety, you will surely be destroyed in Gehenna, unless you 
change your course. 

"So [important] is the tongue among our members, that it de- 
fileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, 
and [or when] it is set on fire of Gehenna. (Jas. 3: 6.) Here, 
in strong, symbolic language, the Apostle points out the great 
and bad influence of an evil tongue — a tongue set on fire (figura- 
tively) by Gehenna (figuratively). For a tongue to be set on 
fire of Gehenna signifies that it is set going in evil by a perverse 
disposition, self-willed, selfish, hateful, malicious, the sort of dis- 
position which, in spite of knowledge and opportunity, unless 
controlled and reformed, will be counted worthy to be destroyed 
— the class for whom the "Second Death," the real "lake of 
fire," the real Gehenna, is intended. One in that attitude may 



68 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

by his tongue kindle a great fire, a destructive disturbance, which, 
wherever it has contact, will work evil in the entire course of 
nature. A few malicious words often arouse all the evil pas- 
sions of the speaker, engender the same in others and react upon 
the first. And continuance in such an evil course finally corrupts 
the entire man, and brings him under the sentence of death. 

The Greek word tartaroo occurs but once in the Scriptures, 
and is translated hell. It is found in 2 Pet. 2 : 4, which reads : 

"God spared not the angels who sinned, but cast [them] down 
to hell [tartaroo], and delivered them into chains of darkness, 
to be reserved unto judgment." 

Having examined all other words rendered "hell," in the 
Bible, and all the texts in which they occur, we conclude the ex- 
amination with this text, which is the only one in which the 
word tartaroo occurs. In the above quotation, all the words 
shown in Italic type are translated from the one Greek word 
tartaroo. Evidently the translators were at a loss to know how 
to translate the word, but concluded they knew where the evil 
angels ought to be, and so they made bold to put them into 
"hell," though it took six words to twist the idea into the shape 
they had pre-determined it must take. 

The word tartaroo, used by St. Peter, very closely resembles 
tartarus, a word used in Grecian mythology as the name for a 
dark abyss or prison. But tartaroo seems to refer more to an 
act than to a place. The fall of the angels who sinned was 
from honor and dignity, into dishonor and condemnation, and 
the thought seems to be — "God spared not the angels who sinned, 
but degraded them, and delivered them into chains of darkness." 

This certainly agrees with the facts known to us through 
other Scriptures; for these fallen spirits frequented the earth 
in the days of our Lord and the Apostles. Hence they were not 
down in some place, but "down" in the sense of being degraded 
from former honor and liberty, and restrained under darkness, 
as by a chain. Whenever these fallen spirits, in spiritualistic 
seances, manifested their powers through mediums, pretending 
to be certain dead human beings, they always had to do their 
work in the dark, because darkness is the chain by which they 
were bound until the great Millennial Day of Judgment. 
Whether this implies that in the immediate future they will be 
able to materialize more freely in daylight is hard to say. If so, 
it would greatly increase Satan's power to blind and deceive for 
a short season — until the Sun of Righteousness has fully risen 
and Satan is fully bound. 

Thus we close our investigation of the Bible use of the word 
"hell." Thank God, we find no such place of everlasting torture 
as the creeds and hymn-books, and many pulpits erroneously 
teach. Yet we have found a "hell," sheol, hades, to which all 



The Hell of the Bible. 69 

our race were condemned on account of Adam's sin, and from 
which all are redeemed by our Lord's death; and that "hell" is 
the tomb — the death condition. And we find another "hell" 
(Gehenna — the Second Death — utter destruction) brought to 
our attention as the final penalty upon all who, after being re- 
deemed and brought to the full knowledge of the truth and to 
full ability to obey it, shall yet choose death by choosing a course 
of opposition to God and righteousness. And our hearts say, 
Amen ! True and righteous are thy ways, thou King of nations ! 
Who shall not venerate Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? 
For Thou art entirely holy. And all nations shall come and 
worship before Thee, because Thy righteous dealings are made 
manifest. — Rev. 15:3, 4. 

The great difficulty with many in reading the Scripture (Luke 
16: 19-31), is that, though they regard it as a parable, they rea- 
son on it and draw conclusions from it as though it were a lit- 
eral statement. To regard it as a literal statement involves sev- 
eral absurdities; for instance, that the rich man went to "hell" 
because he had enjoyed many earthly blessings and gave nothing 
but crumbs to Lazarus. Not a word is said about his wicked- 
ness. Again, Lazarus was blessed, not because he was a sincere 
child of God, full of faith and trust, not because he was good, 
but simply because he was poor and sick. If this be interpreted 
literally, the only logical lesson to be drawn from it is, that 
unless we are poor beggars full of sores, we will never enter 
into future bliss; and that if now we wear any fine linen and 
purple, and have plenty to eat every day, we are sure of future 
torment. Again, the coveted place of favor is "Abraham's 
bosom"; and if the whole statement be literal, the bosom must 
also be literal, and it surely would not hold very many of earth's 
millions of sick and poor. 

But why consider absurdities ? As a parable, it is easy of in- 
terpretation. In a parable the thing said is never the thing 
meant. We know this from our Lord's own explanations of His 
parables. When He said "wheat," He meant "children of the 
kingdom" ; when He said "tares," He meant "the children of 
the devil"; when He said "reapers," His servants were to be 
understood, etc. (Matt. 13.) The same classes were repre- 
sented by different symbols in different parables. Thus the 
"wheat" of one parable corresponds to the "faithful servants," 
and the "wise virgins" of others. So, in this parable, the "rich 
man" represents a class, and "Lazarus" represents another class. 

In attempting to expound a parable such as this, an explana- 
tion of which the Lord does not furnish us, modesty in express- 
ing our opinion regarding it is certainly appropriate. We 
therefore offer the following explanation without any attempt 
to force our views upon the reader, except so far as his own 



70 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

truth-enlightened judgment may commend them as in accord 
with God's Word and Plan. To our understanding, Abraham 
represented God, and the "rich man" represented the Jewish 
nation. At the time of the utterance of the parable, and for a 
long time previous, the Jews had "fared sumptuously every day" 
— being the especial recipients of God's favors. At St. Paul 
says: "What advantage, then, hath the Jew? Much every way : 
chiefly, because to them were committed the oracles of God 
[Law and Prophecy]." The promises to Abraham and David 
and their organization as a typical Kingdom of God invested 
that people with royalty, as represented by the rich man's 
"purple." The typical sacrifices of the Law constituted them, in 
a typical sense, a holy (righteous) nation, represented by the 
rich man's "fine linen" — symbolic of righteousness. — Rev. 19:8. 

Lazarus represented the outcasts from Divine favor under the 
Law, who, sin-sick, hungered and thirsted after righteousness. 
"Publicans and sinners" of Israel, seeking a better life, and 
truth-hungry Gentiles who were "feeling after God" constituted 
the Lazarus class. These, at the time of the utterance of this 
parable, were entirely destitute of those special Divine blessings 
which Israel enjoyed. They lay at the gate of the rich man. 
No rich promises of royalty were theirs; not even typically 
were they cleansed; but, in moral sickness, pollution and sin, 
they were companions of "dogs." Dogs were regarded as de- 
testible creatures in those days, and the typically clean Jew 
called the outsiders "heathen" and "dogs," and would never eat, 
nor marry, nor have any dealings with them. — John 4 : 9. 

As to how these ate of the "crumbs" of Divine favor which 
fell from Israel's table of bounties, the Lord's words to the 
Syro-Phcenician woman give us a key. He said to this Gentile 
woman — "It is not meet [proper] to take the children's [Israel- 
ites'] bread and to cast it to dogs [Gentiles]"; and she an- 
swered, "Truth, Lord, but the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall 
from their master's table." (Matt. 15:26, 27.) Jesus healed 
her daughter, thus giving the desired crumb of favor. 

But there came a great dispensational change in Israel's his- 
tory when as a nation they rejected and crucified the Son of 
God. Then their typical righteousness ceased — then the promise 
of royalty ceased to be theirs, and the kingdom was taken from 
them to be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof — 
the Gospel Church, "a holy nation, a peculiar people." (Titus 
2: 14; 1 Pet. 2:7, 9; Matt. 21 :43.) Thus the "rich man" died 
to all these special advantages, and soon he (the Jewish nation) 
found himself in a cast-off condition — in tribulation and afflic- 
tion. In such condition that nation has suffered ever since. 

Lazarus also died; the condition of the humble Gentiles and 
the God-seeking "outcasts" of Israel underwent a great change, 



The Hell of the Bible. 71 

they being carried by the angels (messengers — apostles, etc.) to 
Abraham's bosom. Abraham is represented as the father of the 
faithful, and receives all the children of faith, who are thus 
recognized as the heirs of all the promises made to Abraham; 
for the children of the flesh are not the children of God, "but 
the children of the promise are counted for the seed" (children 
of Abraham) ; "which seed is Christ"; — and "if ye be Christ's, 
then are ye [believers] Abraham's seed [children], and heirs 
according to the [Abrahamic] promise." — Gal. 3 : 29. 

Yes, the termination of the condition of things then existing 
was well illustrated by the figure, death — the dissolution of the 
Jewish polity and the withdrawal of the favors which Israel had 
so long enjoyed. There they were cast off and have since been 
shown "no favor," while the poor Gentiles, who before had 
been "aliens from the commonwealth [the polity] of Israel and 
strangers from the covenant of promise [up to this time given 
to Israel only] having no hope and without God in the world" 
were then "made nigh by the blood of Christ" and reconciled to 
God. — Eph. 2: 12, 13. 

To the symbolisms of death and burial used to illustrate the 
dissolution of Israel and their burial or hiding among the other 
nations, our Lord added a further figure — "In hell {hades, the 
grave] he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abra- 
ham afar off," etc. The dead cannot lift up their eyes, nor see 
either near or far, nor converse; for it is distinctly stated, 
"There is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in 
the grave" ; and the dead are described as those who "go down 
into silence." (Eccl. 9: 10; Psa. 115 : 17.) But the Lord wished 
to show that great sufferings or "torments" would be added to 
the Jews as a nation after their national dissolution and burial 
amongst the other peoples dead in trespasses and sins ; and that 
they would plead in vain for release and comfort at the hand of 
the formerly despised Lazarus class. 

And history has borne out this parabolic prophecy. For 
eighteen hundred years the Jews have not only been in distress 
of mind over their casting out from the favor of God and the 
loss of their temple and other necessaries to the offering of their 
sacrifices, but they have been relentlessly persecuted by all 
classes, including professed Christians. It was from the latter 
that the Jews have expected mercy, as expressed in the parable 
— "Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water 
and cool my tongue" ; but the great gulf fixed between them 
hinders that. Nevertheless, God still recognizes the relation- 
ship established in His Covenant with them, and addresses them 
as children of the Covenant. (Verse 25.) These "torments" 
have been the penalties attached to the violation of their Cov- 



72 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

enant, and were as certain to be visited upon them as the bless- 
ings promised for obedience. See Lev. 26. 

The "great gulf fixed" represents the wide difference between 
the Gospel Church and the Jew — the former enjoying free 
grace, joy, comfort and peace, as true sons of God, and the 
latter holding to the Law, which condemns and torments. 
Prejudice, pride and error, from the Jewish side, form the bul- 
warks of this gulf which hinder the Jew from coming into the 
condition of true sons of God by accepting Christ and the Gos- 
pel of His grace. The bulwark of this gulf which hinders true 
sons of God from going to the Jew — under the bondage of the 
Law — is their knowledge that by the deeds of the Law none 
can be justified before God, and that if any man keep the Law 
(put himself under it to try to commend himself to God by rea- 
son of obedience to it), Christ shall profit him nothing. (Gal. 
5:2-4.) So, then, we who are of the Lazarus class should not 
attempt to mix the Law and the Gospel, knowing that they 
cannot be mixed, and that we can do no good to those who still 
cling to the Law and reject the sacrifice for sins given by our 
Lord. And they, not seeing the change of dispensation which 
took place, argue that to deny the Law as the power to save 
would be to deny all the past history of their race, and to deny 
all of God's special dealings with the "fathers" (promises and 
dealings which through pride and selfishness they failed rightly 
to apprehend and use) ; hence they cannot come over to the 
bosom of Abraham, into the true rest and peace — the portion of 
all true children of faith. — John 8:39; Rom. 4: 16; Gal. 3:29. 

True, a few Jews probably came into the Christian faith all 
the way down the Gospel Age, but so few as to be ignored in a 
parable which represented the Jewish people as a whole. As at 
the first, Dives represented the orthodox Jews, and not the "out- 
casts of Israel," so down to the close of the parable he continues 
to represent a similar class, and hence does not represent such 
Jews as have renounced the Law Covenant and accepted Christ 
or such as have become infidels. 

The plea of the "rich man" for the sending of "Lazarus" to 
his five brethren we interpret as follows : The people of Judea, 
at the time of our Lord's utterance of this parable, were repeat- 
edly referred to as "Israel," "the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel," "cities of Israel," etc., because all the tribes were repre- 
sented there; but actually the majority of the people were of 
the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, but few of the ten tribes 
having returned from Babylon under Cyrus' general permission. 
If the nation of the Jews (chiefly two tribes) were represented 
in the one "rich man," it would be a harmony of numbers to un- 
derstand the "five brethren" to represent the ten tribes chiefly 
scattered abroad. The request relative to them was doubtless 



The Hell of the Bible. 73 

introduced to show that all special favor of God ceased to all 
Israel (the ten tribes, as well as the two more directly ad- 
dressed). It seems to us evident that Israel only was meant, for 
no other nation than Israel had ''Moses and the prophets" as 
instructors. (Verse 29.) The majority of the ten tribes had so 
far disregarded Moses and the prophets that they did not return 
to the land of promise, but preferred to dwell among idolators ; 
and hence it would be useless to attempt further communication 
with them, even by one from the dead — the figuratively dead, 
but now figuratively risen Lazarus class. — Eph. 2 : 5. 

Though the parable mentions no bridging of this "great gulf," 
other portions of Scripture indicate that it was to be "fixed" 
only throughout the Gospel Age, and that at its close the "rich 
man," having received the measurement of punishment for his 
sins, will walk out of his fiery troubles over the bridge of God's 
promises yet unfulfilled to that nation. 

Though for centuries the Jews have been bitterly persecuted 
by pagans, Mohammedans and professed Christians, they are 
now gradually rising to political freedom and influence; and 
although much of "Jacob's trouble" is just at hand, yet as a 
people they will be very prominent among the nations in the 
beginning of the Millennium. The "vail" (2 Cor. 3: 13-16) of 
prejudice still exists, but is being gradually taken away as the 
light of the Millennial Morning dawns; nor should we be sur- 
prised to hear of great awakenings among the Jews, and many 
coming to acknowledge Christ. They will thus leave their 
hadean state (national death) and torment, and come, the first 
of the nations, to be blessed by the Seed of Abraham, which is 
Christ, Head and Body. Their bulwark of race prejudice and 
pride is falling in some places, and the humble, the poor in 
spirit, are beginning already to look upon him whom they have 
pierced, and to inquire, Is not this the Christ? And as they look 
the Lord pours upon them the spirit of favor and supplication. 
(Zech. 12:10.) Therefore, "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusa- 
lem, and cry unto her that her appointed time is accomplished." 
— Isa. 40: 1, 2, margin. 

In a word, this parable seems to teach precisely what St. Paul 
explained in Rom. 11:19-32. Because of unbelief the natural 
branches were broken off, and the wild branches grafted into the 
Abrahamic root-promise. The parable leaves the Jews in their 
trouble, and does not refer to their final restoration to favor — 
doubtless because it was not pertinent to the feature of the sub- 
ject treated; but St. Paul assures us that when the fulness of 
the Gentiles — the full number from among the Gentiles neces- 
sary to make up the Bride of Christ — is come in, "they [natural 
Israel] shall obtain mercy through your [the Church's] mercy." 
He assures us that this is God's Covenant with fleshly Israel 



74 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

(who lost the higher, spiritual promises, but are still the pos- 
sessors of certain earthly promises), to become the chief 
nation of earth, etc. In proof of this statement, he quotes from 
the prophets, saying: "The Deliverer shall come out of Zion 
[the glorified Church], and shall turn away ungodliness from 
Jacob [the fleshly seed]." "As concerning the Gospel [High 
Calling], they are enemies [cast off] for your sakes; but as 
touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes." 
"For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might 
have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches, both of the 
wisdom and knowledge of God !"— Rom. 11:26-33. 

While the Scriptures, as we have shown, do not teach the 
blasphemous doctrine of everlasting torment, they do most em- 
phatically teach the everlasting punishment of the wicked, the 
class represented in the parable as "goats." (Matt. 25:31-46.) 
Let us examine the parable, and then the sentence pronounced. 

It has been truly said that "order is Heaven's first law"; yet 
few, we think, have realized how emphatically this is true. In 
glancing back over the Plan of the Ages there is nothing which 
gives such conclusive evidence of a Divine Director as the order 
observed in all its parts. 

God has had definite and stated times and seasons for every 
part of His work; and in the end of each of these seasons there 
has been a finishing up of its work and a clearing off of the rub- 
bish, preparatory to the beginning of the new work of the Dis- 
pensation to follow. Thus in the end of the Jewish Age order 
was observed — a harvesting and complete separation of the 
"wheat" class from the "chaff," and an entire rejection of the 
latter class from God's favor. "With the few judged worthy in 
the end of that Age, a new Age — the Gospel Age — began. And 
now we find ourselves amidst the closing scenes of the "Har- 
vest" of this Age: the "wheat" and the "tares," which have 
grown together during this Age, are being separated. With 
the former class, of which our Lord Jesus is the Head, a new 
Age is about to be inaugurated, and these "wheat" are to- reign 
as kings and priests in that new Dispensation, while the "tare" 
element is judged as utterly unworthy of that favor. 

While observing this order with reference to the Jewish age 
and the one just closing, our Lord informs us through the para- 
ble under consideration that the same order will be observed 
with reference to the age to follow this Gospel Age. 

The harvest of the Jewish Age was likened to the separation 
of wheat from chaff; the harvest of this Age to the separation 
of wheat from tares; the harvest of the Millennial Age to the 
separation of sheep from goats. 

That the parable of the sheep and the goats refers to the Mil- 
lennial Age is clearly indicated in verses 31 and 32 — "When the 



The Hell of the Bible. 75 

Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels 
with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, and 
before Him shall be gathered all nations ; and He shall separate 
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from 
the goats." As in the present Age every act of those on trial 
(the Church) goes to make a part of that character which, in 
due time, will determine the final decision of the Judge in our 
case, so will it be with the world (the "nations") in the Age to 
come. As in the present Age the trial of the majority of the 
individual members of the Church ends, and the decision of 
their case is reached, long before the end of the Age (2 Tim. 
4:7, 8), so under the Millennial Reign the decision of some in- 
dividual cases will be reached long before the end of the Age 
(Isa. 65:20) ; but in each Age there is a "harvest" or general 
separating time in the end of the Age. 

In the dawn of the Millennial Age, after the "Time of Trou- 
ble," there will be a gathering of the living nations before 
Christ, and, in their appointed time and order, the dead of all 
nations shall be called to appear before the Judgment Seat of 
Christ — not to receive an immediate sentence, but to receive a 
fair and impartial, individual trial (Ezek. 18:2-4, 19, 20) under 
the most favorable circumstances, the result of which trial will 
be a final sentence, as worthy or unworthy of everlasting life. 

The scene of this parable, therefore, is laid after the Time of 
Trouble, when the nations shall have been subdued, Satan bound 
(Rev. 20:1, 2) and the authority of Christ's Kingdom estab- 
lished. Ere this, the Bride of Christ (the overcoming Church) 
will have been seated with Him in His throne of spiritual power 
and will have taken part in executing the judgments of the great 
Day of Wrath. Then the Son of Man and His Bride, the glori- 
fied Church, will be revealed and be seen by men, with the eyes 
of their understanding, and shall "shine forth as the sun in the 
Kingdom of their Father." — Matt. 13 : 43. 

Here is the New Jerusalem as St. John saw it (Rev. 21), "that 
holy city [symbol of government'] . . . coming down from God 
out of heaven." During the time of trouble it will be coming 
down, and before its end, it will have touched the earth. This is 
the stone cut out of the mountain without hands (but by the 
pow r er of God), and it will then have become a great mountain 
(Kingdom), filling the whole earth (Dan. 2:35), its coming 
having broken to pieces the evil kingdoms of the prince of dark- 
ness. — Dan. 2 : 34, 35. 

Here is that glorious City (government), prepared as a bride 
adorned for her husband (Rev. 21 : 2), and early in the dawn of 
the Millennium the nations will begin to walk in the light of it. 
(Verse 24.) These may bring their glory and honor into it, but 
'M:here shall in no wise enter into it [or become part of it] any- 



76 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

ching that defileth," etc. (Verse 27.) Here, from the midst of 
the Throne, proceeds a pure river of water of life (truth un- 
mixed with error), and the Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and 
take it freely. (Rev. 22: 17.) Here begins the world's proba- 
tion, the world's great Judgment Day — a thousand years. 

But even in this favored time of blessing and healing of the 
nations, when Satan is bound, evil restrained, mankind in pro- 
cess of release from the grasp of death, and when the knowledge 
of the Lord fills the earth, two classes will be developed, which 
our Lord here likens to sheep and goats. These, He tells us, He 
will separate. The sheep class — those who are meek, teachable 
and willing to be led, shall, during the Millennial Age, be gath- 
ered at the Judge's right hand — symbol of His approval and 
favor; but the goat class, self-willed and stubborn, always 
climbing on the rocks — seeking prominence and approval among 
men — and feeding on miserable refuse, while the sheep graze in 
the rich pastures of the truth furnished by the Good Shepherd — 
these are gathered to the Judge's left hand, the opposite of the 
position of favor, subjects of His disfavor and condemnation. 

This work of separating sheep and goats will require all of 
the Millennial Age for its accomplishment. During that Age, 
each individual, as he comes gradually to a knowledge of God 
and His will, takes his place at the right hand of favor or the 
left hand of disfavor, according as he improves or misimproves 
the opportunities of that Golden Age. By the end of that Age, 
all the world of mankind will have arranged themselves, as 
shown in the parable, into two classes. 

The end of that Age will be the end of the world's trial or 
judgment, and then final disposition will be made of the two 
classes. The reward of this "sheep" class will be granted them 
because, during the age of trial and discipline, they cultivated 
and manifested the beautiful character of love, which St. Paul 
describes as the fulfilling of the Law of God. (Rom. 13: 10.) 
They will have manifested it to each other in their times of 
sorest need; and what they will have done for one another the 
Lord will count as done unto Him, counting them all as His 
brethren — children of God, though they will be of the human 
nature, while He is of the Divine. 

The condemnation of the "goat" class is shown to be for the 
lack of this spirit of love. Under the same favorable circum- 
stances as the "sheep," they wilfully resist the moulding influ- 
ence of the Lord's discipline, and harden their hearts. The 
goodness of God does not lead them to true repentance, but, like 
Pharaoh, they take advantage of His goodness and do evil. The 
"goats," who will not have developed the element of love, the 
law of God's being and Kingdom, will be counted unworthy of 
everlasting life, and will be destroyed; while the "sheep," who 



* The Hell of the Bible. 77 

will have developed God-likeness (love), and who will have 
exhibited it in their characters, are to be installed as the sub- 
ordinate rulers of earth for future ages. 

In tlte end of the Millennial Age, in the final adjustment of 
human affairs, Christ thus addresses His sheep: "Come, ye 
blessed, . . . inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world." 

It is manifest the "sheep" here addressed, at the close of the 
Millennium, are not the sheep of the Gospel Age, the Gospel 
Church, but those "other sheep" to whom the Lord referred in 
John 10: 16. And the kingdom prepared for them in the Divine 
Plan, from the foundation of the world, is not the Kingdom 
prepared for the Gospel Church. The Church will receive her 
Kingdom at the beginning of the Millennium; but this is the 
kingdom prepared for the "sheep" of the Millennial Age. Their 
kingdom will be the dominion of earth which was originally 
given to Adam, but which was lost through sin, and which is 
again to be restored when man is brought to perfection, and so 
made fit to receive and enjoy it. That dominion will not be a 
dominion of some of the race over others, but a joint dominion, 
in which every man will be a king, and all will have equal rights 
and privileges in appropriating and enjoying every earthly good. 
It will be a sovereign people — a great and grand republic on a 
basis of perfect righteousness, wherein the rights of every man 
will be conserved ; because the Golden Rule will be inscribed on 
every heart, and every man will love his neighbor as himself. 
The dominion of all will be over the whole earth, and all its rich 
and bountiful stores of blessing. (Gen. 1:28; Psa. 8:5-8.) 
The kingdom of the world, to be given to the perfected and 
worthy ones of the redeemed race at the close of the Millen- 
nium, is clearly distinguished from all others by being called the 
kingdom prepared for them "from the foundation of the world," 
the earth having been made to be the everlasting home and king- 
dom of perfect men. But the Kingdom bestowed upon Christ, 
of which the Church, His Bride," becomes joint-heir, is a spir- 
itual Kingdom, "far above angels, principalities and powers," 
and it also shall "have no end" — Christ's Millennial Kingdom, 
which will end, being merely a beginning of Christ's power and 
rule. (1 Cor. 15:25-28.) This endless heavenly, spiritual king- 
dom was prepared long before the earth was founded — its in- 
ception being recognized in Christ, "the beginning of the crea- 
tion of God." It was intended for Christ Jesus, the First Be- 
gotten; but even the Church, His Bride and joint-heir, was 
chosen or designed also, in Him, before the foundation of the 
world. — Eph. 1 : 4. 

The kingdom or rule of earth, is the kingdom that has been in 
preparation for mankind from the foundation of the world. It 



78 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

was expedient that man should suffer six thousand years under 
the dominion of evil, to learn its inevitable results of misery and 
death, in order by contrast to prove the justice, wisdom and 
goodness of. God's Law of love. Then it will require the Seventh 
one-thousand-years, under the reign of Christ, to restore him 
from ruin and death, to the perfect condition, thereby fitting 
him to "inherit the kingdom prepared for him from the founda- 
tion of the world." 

That kingdom, in which all will be kings, will be one grand, 
universal republic, whose stability and blessed influence will be 
assured by the perfection of its every citizen, a result now much 
desired, but an impossibility because of sin. The kingdom of 
Christ during the Millennium will be, on the contrary, a the- 
ocracy, which will rule the world (during the period of its im- 
perfection and restoration) without regard to its consent or 
approval. 

The brethren of the Gospel Church are not the only "brethren" 
of Christ. All who at that time will have been restored to per- 
fection will be recognized as sons of God — sons in the same 
sense that Adam was a son of God (Luke 3: 38) — human sons. 
And all of God's sons, whether on the human, the angelic or the 
Divine plane, ..are brethren. Our Lord's love for these, His 
human brethren, is here expressed. As the world now has the 
opportunity to minister to those who are shortly to be the 
Divine sons of God, and brethren of Christ, so they will have 
abundant opportunity during the Age to come to minister to 
(each other) the human brethren. 

The dead nations when again brought into existence will need 
food, raiment and shelter. However great may have been their 
possessions in this life, death will have brought all to a common 
level : the infant and the man of mature years, the millionaire 
and the pauper, the learned and the unlearned, the cultured and 
the ignorant and degraded: all will have an abundant oppor- 
tunity for the exercise of benevolence, and thus they will be 
privileged to be co-workers with God. We are here reminded 
of the illustration given in the case of Lazarus: Jesus only 
awakened him from death, and then were the rejoicing friends 
permitted to loose him from his grave clothes and to clothe and 
feed him. 

Further, these are said to be "sick and in prison" (more prop- 
erly, under ward or watch). The grave is the great prison 
where the millions of humanity have been held in unconscious 
captivity; but when released from the grave, the restoration to 
perfection is not to be an instantaneous work. Being not yet 
perfect, they may properly be termed sick and under ward; not 
dead, neither are they yet perfected in life: and any condition 
between those two may be properly symbolized by sickness. And 



The Hell of the Bible. 79 

they will continue to be under watch or ward until made well — 
physically, mentally and morally perfect. During that time there 
will be abundant opportunity for mutual helpfulness, sympathy, 
instruction and encouragement, and any failure to assist will 
mark a lack of the Lord's spirit of love. 

Since all mankind will not be raised at once, but gradually, 
during the thousand years, each new group will find, an army of 
helpers in those who will have preceded it. The love and benev- 
olence which men will then show to each other (the brethren of 
Christ) the King will count as shown to Him. No great deeds 
are assigned as the ground for the honors and favors conferred 
upon the righteous : they will have simply come into harmony 
with God's Law of Love and proved it by their works. "Love 
is the fulfilling of the Law" (Rom. 13: 10), and "God is love." 
So, when man is restored again to the image of God — "very 
good" — man also will be a living expression of love. 

"Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 
of the world," does not signify a rule independent of the Divine 
Law and supremacy: for although God gave earth's dominion 
to man at first, and designs restoring it to him when He has pre- 
pared him for the great trust, we are not to suppose that God 
intends man to rule it, otherwise than as under, or in harmony 
with, His supreme Law. "Thy will be done in earth as in 
Heaven," must forever be the principle of government. Man 
thenceforth will rule his dominion in harmony with the Law of 
Heaven — delighting continually to do His will in whose favor 
is life, and at whose "right hand [condition of favor] there are 
pleasures forevermore." (Psa. 16:11.) Oh! who would not 
say, "Haste ye along, ages of glory !" and give glory and honor 
to Him whose loving plans are blossoming into such fulness of 
blessing? 

Let us now examine the message to those on the left — "Depart 
from Me, ye cursed [condemned] — condemned as unfit ves- 
sels for the glory and honor of life, who would not yield to the 
moulding and shaping influences of Divine love. When these, 
"brethren," were hungry and thirsty, or naked, sick, and in 
prison, ye ministered not to their necessities, thus continually 
proving yourselves -out of harmony with the Heavenly City 
(Kingdom) ; for "there shall in no case enter into it anything 
that defileth." The decision or sentence regarding this class is 
— "Depart from me into everlasting fire [symbol of destruc- 
tion], prepared for the devil and his angels." Elsewhere (Heb. 
2:14) we read without symbol that Christ "will destroy him 
that had the power of death, that is, the devil." 

"And these [the "goats"] shall go away into everlasting 
[Greek, aionios— lasting] punishment, but the righteous into life 

6 



80 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

eternal [Greek, aionios— lasting.]" The punishment will be as 
lasting as the reward. Both will be everlasting. 

The everlastingness of the punishment being thus established, 
only one point is left open for discussion; namely, the nature of 
the punishment. Take your Concordance and search out what 
saith the great Judge regarding the punishment of wilful sinners 
who despise and reject all his blessed provisions for them 
through Christ. What do you find? Does God there say — All 
sinners shall live in torture forever? No; we find not a single 
text where life in any condition is promised to that class. 

God's declarations assure us that ultimately he will have a 
clean universe, free from the blight of sin and sinners; because 
"All the wicked will He destroy." — Psa. 145 : 20. 

But while we do not find one verse of the Bible saying that 
this class can have life in torment, or in any other condition, we 
do find numerous passages teaching the reverse. Of these we 
give a few merely as samples — "The wages of sin is death." 
(Rom. 6: 23.) "The soul that sinneth, it shall die/' (Ezek. 18 : 
4, 20.) "The wicked shall perish." (Psa. 37: 20.) "Yet a little 
while and the wicked shall not be." (Psa. 37: 10.) Thus God 
has told us plainly the nature of the everlasting punishment of 
the wicked — that it will be death, destruction. 

The false ideas of God's plan of dealing with the incorrigible, 
taught ever since the great "falling away," which culminated in 
Papacy, and instilled into our minds from childhood, are alone 
responsible for the view generally held, that the everlasting 
punishment provided for wilful sinners is a life of torment. This 
view is held, notwithstanding the many clear statements of 
God's Word that their punishment is to be death. The Apostle 
Paul states very explicitly what the punishment is to be. Speak- 
ing of the same Millennial Day, and of the same class, who, 
despite all the favorable opportunities and the fulness of knowl- 
edge then, will not come into harmony with Christ, and hence 
will "know not God" in the true sense, and "obey not," he says — 
"Who shall be punished." Ah, yes! but how punished? He 
tells us how : They "shall be punished with everlasting destruc- 
tion" [a destruction from which there shall be no recovery, no 
redemption or resurrection — Heb. 10:26-29] from the presence 
of the Lord and from the glory of his power." (2 Thes. 1:9.) 
This destruction is represented in the parable as the everlasting 
"fire" prepared for the devil and his angels : it is "the lake of 
fire and brimstone," which is the Second Death (Rev. 20: 14), 
into which the "goats" of this parable are sent. — Matt. 25 : 41. 

Thus the meaning and reasonableness of this statement con- 
cerning everlasting punishment are readily seen when looked at 
from the correct standpoint. The fire of the parable, by which 
the punishment (destruction) is to be accomplished, will not be 



The Hell of the Bible. 8l 

literal fire, for the "fire" is as much a symbol as the "sheep" and 
"goats" are symbols. Fire here, as elsewhere, symbolizes de- 
struction, and not in any sense preservation. 

We might well leave this subject here, and consider that 
we have fully shown that the everlasting punishment of the 
"goat" class will be destruction ; but we direct attention to one 
other point which clinches the truth upon this subject. We refer 
to the Greek word kolasin, translated "punishment," in verse 46. 
This word has not in it the remotest idea of torment. Its pri- 
mary signification is to cut off, or prune, or lop off, as in the 
pruning of trees ; and a secondary meaning is to restrain. The 
wicked will be everlastingly restrained, cut off from life in the 
Second Death. Illustrations of the use of kolasin can easily be 
had from Greek classical writings. The Greek word for "tor- 
ment" is basanos, a word totally unrelated to the word kolasin. 

Kolasin, the word used in Matt. 25 : 46, occurs in but one other 
place in the Bible, viz., 1 John 4 : 18, where it is improperly ren- 
dered "torment" in the Common Version, whereas it should 
read, "Fear hath restraint." Those who possess a copy of 
Young's Analytical Concordance will see from it (page 995) 
that the definition of the word kolasin is "pruning, restraining, 
restraint." And the author of the Emphatic Diaglott, after 
translating kolasin in Matt. 25 : 46 by the words "cutting off," 
says in a foot note : "The Common Version and many modern 
ones render kolasin aionion 'everlasting punishment/ conveying 
the idea, as generally interpreted, of basanos, torment. Kolasin 
and kolazoo, from which it is derived, occur in only three other 
places in the New Testament: Acts 4:21; 2 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 
4:18. It signifies, I. To cut off; as lopping off branches of 
trees, to prune. 2. To restrain, to repress. The Greeks write — 
'The charioteer restrains [kolazei] his fiery steeds/ 3. To chas- 
tise, to punish. To cut off an individual from life, or from so- 
ciety, or even to restrain, is esteemed as a punishment; hence 
has arisen this third or metaphorical use of the word. The pri- 
mary signification has been adopted [in the Diaglott], because it 
agrees better with the second member of the sentence, thus pre- 
serving the force and beauty of the antithesis — the righteous go 
to life, the wicked to the cutting off fromlife, death. — 2Thes. 1 -.g.'' 

Now consider carefully the text, and note the antithesis, the 
contrast, shown between the reward of the "sheep" and the re- 
ward of the "goats," which the correct idea of kolasin gives — 
the one class goes into everlasting life, while the other is ever- 
lastingly cut off from life — forever restrained in death. And 
this exactly agrees with what the Scriptures everywhere else de- 
clare concerning the wages or penalty of wilful sin. 

Consider for a moment the words of verse 41 : "Depart from 
me, ye cursed [once redeemed by Christ from the Adamic curse 



82 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

or condemnation to death, but now condemned or cursed, as 
worthy of the Second Death, by the One who redeemed them 
from the first curse], into everlasting fire [symbol of everlasting 
destruction] prepared for the devil andhis messengers [servants]." 

Remember that this is the final sentence at the close of the 
final trial — at the close of the Millennium; and that none will 
then be servants of Satan ignorantly or unwillingly, as so many 
now are; for the great Deliverer, Christ, will remove outside 
temptations, and provide assistance towards self-improvement, 
which will enable all who will to overcome inherent weaknesses 
and to attain perfection. These "goats," who love evil and serve 
Satan, are the messengers ("angels") of Satan. For these and 
Satan, and for no others, God has prepared Second Death — the 
everlasting destruction. Fire will come from God out of heaven 
and consume them. Consuming fire and devouring fire all can 
appreciate, unless their eyes are holden by false doctrine and 
prejudice. No one ever knew of a preserving fire; and as fire 
never preserves, but always consumes, God uses it as a symbol 
of utter destruction. — Rev. 20 : 9. 

"The lake of fire and brimstone" is several times mentioned 
in the book of Revelation, which all Christians admit to be a 
book of symbols. However, they generally think and speak of 
this particular symbol as a literal statement giving strong sup- 
port to the torment doctrine, notwithstanding the fact that the 
symbol is clearly defined as meaning the Second Death : "And 
death and hell w T ere cast into the lake of fire. This is the Second 
Death," etc. (Rev. 20:14.) It is sometimes spoken of as "a 
lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Rev. 19:20), the element 
brimstone being mentioned to intensify the symbol of destruc- 
tion, the Second Death, burning brimstone being one of the most 
deadly elements known. It is destructive to all forms of life. 

The symbolism of this lake of fire is further shown by the fact 
that the symbolic "beast" and the symbolic "false prophet," and 
death and hell [hades], as well as the devil and his followers, 
are destroyed in it. — Rev. 19 : 20 ; 20 : 10, 14, 15 ; 21:8. 

This destruction or death is called the Second Death in con- 
tradistinction to the First or Adamic death, and not to signify 
that everything which goes into it dies a second time. For in- 
stance, death (the first or Adamic death), and hades, the grave, 
are to be cast into it; this work will require the entire Millen- 
nium to accomplish it ; and in no sense will they ever have been 
destroyed before. So also "the devil," "the beast," and "the 
false prophet," will never have been destroyed before. 

From the first, or Adamic death, a resurrection has been pro- 
vided. All that are in their graves shall therefore come forth. 
The Revelator prophetically declares : "The sea gave up the 
dead which were in it, and death and hell [hades, the grave] 



The Hell of the Bible. 83 

gave up the dead which were in them. . . . And I saw the dead, 
small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened." 
(Rev. 20: 13, 12.) It was in view of God's Plan for redeeming 
the race from Adamic death that in both the Old and New Tes- 
taments it is called a "sleep." In Israel's history of the good 
and the wicked it is repeatedly stated that they "slept with their 
fathers." The Apostles used the same symbol, and our Lord 
also. But no such symbol is used in reference to the Second 
Death. On the contrary, the strongest figures of total and utter 
destruction are used to symbolize it, viz., "fire and brimstone"; 
because that will be a destruction from which there will be no 
recovery. 

Blessed thought ! the Adamic death, which claimed the whole 
race for the sin of their progenitor, shall be forever swallowed 
up, and shall cease in this Second Death into which it is to be 
cast by the great Redeemer who bought the whole world with 
the sacrifice of Himself. Thus God tells us through the Prophet, 
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave [sheol]. I 
will redeem them from death. . . . O grave [sheol] I will be 
thy destruction." (Hos. 13:14.) The first or Adamic death 
shall no longer have liberty or power over men, as it has had 
for the past six thousand years; no longer shall any die for 
Adam's sin. (Rom. 5:12; Jer. 31:29, 30; Ezek. 18:2.) 
Thenceforth the New Covenant, sealed with the precious blood, 
shall be in force, and only wilful transgressions will be. counted 
as sin and punished with the wages of sin — death — the Second 
Death. Thus will the Adamic death be cast into and swallowed 
up by the Second Death. 

And hades and sheol — the dark, secret condition, the grave, 
which in the present time speaks to us of a hope of future life 
by God's resurrection power in Christ — shall be no more; for 
the Second Death will devour no being fit for life — none for 
whom there remains a shadow of hope, but such only as, by the 
unerring Judge, have been fully, impartially and individually 
found worthy of destruction. And Satan, that lying tempter 
who deceived and ruined the race, and who with persistent 
energy and cunning has sought continually to thwart the pur- 
pose of God for our salvation through Christ, and with him all 
who are of his spirit, "his angels," shall be destroyed, and shall 
never awake from death to trouble the world again. Here he 
is said to be cast into "the lake of fire," the Second Death; and 
St. Paul in Heb. 2: 14, referring to the same thing, calls it de- 
struction : "that he might destroy death, and him that hath the 
power of death, that is the devil." And "the beast and the 
false prophet," the great false systems which have long op- 
pressed and misled nominal Christendom, shall never escape 
from it. These systems are said to be cast "alive," that is, while 



84 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

they are still organized and operative, into the lake of fire burn- 
ing with brimstone. — Rev. 19 : 20. 

The great Time of Trouble, the Lord's judgment, which will 
utterly destroy these systems, will undoubtedly cause great 
social, financial and religious difficulty and pain to all those 
identified with these deceived and deceiving systems, before they 
are utterly destroyed. These systems will be cast in, destroyed, 
at the beginning of the Millennium, while Satan's destruction is 
reserved until its close, when all the "goats" shall have been 
separated from the "sheep/' and they shall perish with Satan in 
the Second Death as "his angels," messengers or servants. 
None of those abominable characters among men, who, knowing 
the truth, yet love unrighteousness — none of "the fearful and 
unbelieving" — those who will not trust God after all the mani- 
festations of His grace afforded during the Millennial Reign 
of Christ — nor the abominable, who, at heart are murderers and 
whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and liars; none of 
these shall escape from the Second Death, to defile the earth 
again. All such after a full and abundant opportunity for ref- 
ormation will be judged unworthy of life, and will be forever 
cut off in the Second Death, symbolized by the lake of fire and 
brimstone. 

Several prophetic pen pictures of the Millennial Age and its 
work, in chapters 20 and 21 of Revelation, clearly show the 
object and result of that Age of trial, in harmony with the re- 
mainder of the Scriptures already noted. 

Chapter 20, verses 2, 4, 11, with verses 1, 2, 10, 11 of chapter 
21, show the beginning of that Age of Judgment, and the re- 
straining of blinding errors and misleading systems. The 
"Beast" and the "False Prophet" are the chief symbols, and rep- 
resent the organizations or systems of error which together 
constitute "Babylon." This judgment against the "thrones" of 
the present time, and against "the Beast and the False Prophet" 
systems follows speedily upon the introduction of this Millennial 
judgment reign. The thrones of the present dominion 1 of earth 
will be "cast down," and the dominion transferred to the great 
Prophet, Priest, King and Judge, "whose right it is." (Compare 
Dan. 7: 14, 22; Ezek. 21 127.) Then the systems of error will 
be speedily judged worthy of destruction, "the lake of fire," 
"the Second Death." — Rev. 19 : 20. 

Thus the second destruction or death begins quite early in the 
new Judgment: it begins with the false systems symbolized by 
the Beast, False prophet, etc., but it will not reach the world of 
mankind, as individuals, until they have first had full trial, with 
full opportunity to choose life and live forever. Chapters 20: 
12, 13, and 21 : 3-7, indicate the blessed, favorable trial in which 
all," both dead and living (except the Church, who, with Jesus 



The Hell of the Bible. 85 

Christ, are kings, priests, joint-heirs and judges), will be 
brought to a full knowledge of the truth, relieved from sorrow 
and pain, and freed from every blinding error and prejudice, 
and tried "according to their works." 

The grand outcome of that trial will be a clean universe. As 
the Revelator expresses it, ''Every creature which is in heaven 
and on the earth . . . heard I saying, Blessing and honor and 
glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and 
unto the Lamb forever/'' But this result will be accomplished in 
harmony with all God's dealings past and present, which have 
always recognized man's freedom of will to choose good or evil, 
life or death. 

We cannot doubt then that in the close of the Millennial Age, 
God will again for a "little season" permit evil to triumph, in 
order thereby to test His creatures (who will by that time have 
become thoroughly acquainted with both good and evil, and the 
consequence of each, and will have had His justice and love 
fully demonstrated to them), that those who finally prefer and 
choose evil may be cut off— destroyed. Thus God will for all 
eternity remove all who do notlove righteousness and hate iniquity. 

We read, regarding that testing, that Satan will endeavor to 
lead astray all mankind, whose numbers will then be as the 
sand of the sea for multitude ; but that many of them will follow 
Satan's evil example and choose evil and disobedience, with past 
experience before them, and unhampered by present weaknesses 
and blinding influences, we need not suppose. However, when 
God does not tell us either the number or the proportion of those 
to be found worthy of life, and those to be judged worthy of 
death (the Second Death), we may not dogmatize. Of one 
thing we may be confident, God willeth not the death of the 
wicked, but would that all should turn to Him and live; and no 
one will be destroyed in that "lake of fire and brimstone" (fig- 
urative of utter destruction — Gehenna) who is worthy of life, 
whose living longer would be a blessing to himself or to others 
in harmony with righteousness. 

Utter and hopeless destruction is intended only for wilful evil 
doers, who, like Satan, in pride of heart and rebellion against 
God, will love and do evil notwithstanding the manifestations of 
God's disapproval, and notwithstanding their experience with its 
penalties. Seemingly the goodness and love of God in the pro- 
vision of a Ransom, a Restitution, and an opportunity of life for 
those men who had none in this life instead of leading all to an 
abhorrence of sin, will lead some to suppose that God is too lov- 
ing to cut them off in the Second Death, or that if He did so he 
would give them other, and yet other future opportunities. 
Building thus upon a supposed weakness in the Divine character, 
these may be led to try to take advantage of the grace (favor) 



86 Life— Death — Hereafter. 

of God, as a license for wilful sin. But they shall go no further, 
for their folly shall be made manifest. Their utter destruction 
will prove to the righteous the harmony and perfect balance of 
Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power in the Divine Ruler. 

The true character of the goat class is portrayed thus : The 
fearful and unbelieving [who will not trust God], the abomi- 
nable, murderers [brother-haters], whoremongers, sorcerers, 
idolaters [such as misappropriate and misuse Divine favors, 
who give to self or any other creature or thing that service and 
honor which belong to God], and all "liars" — "whosoever loveth 
and maketh a lie" [in a word, all who do not love the Truth and 
seek it, and at any cost defend and hold it] "shall have their part 
in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone [Gehenna, 
symbol of utter destruction], which is the Second Death." Rev. 
21 : 8.) Such company would be repulsive to any honest, upright 
being. It is hard to tolerate them now, when we can sympathize 
with them, knowing that such dispositions are now in great 
measure the result of inherited weakness of the flesh. We are 
moved to a measure of sympathy by the remembrance that in 
our own cases, often, when we would do good evil is present 
with us. But in the close of the Millennial judgment when the 
Lord, the righteous Judge, shall have given every advantage and 
opportunity of knowledge and ability, this class will be an ab- 
horrence and detestation to all who are in harmony with the 
King of Glory. And the righteous will be glad when, the trial 
being ended, the gift of life of which these shall have proved 
themselves unworthy, shall be taken from them, and when the 
corrupters of the earth, and all their work and influence, shall 
be destroyed. 

Rev. 20 : g tells of the destruction of those individuals who 
join with Satan in the last rebellion; and verse 15 tells of that 
same destruction in other words, using the symbol "lake of fire." 
They are devoured or consumed in fire. This being the case, 
the torment of verse 10 cannot refer to these human beings who 
are consumed, destroyed. Hence the question narrows down to 
this, Will Satan and a False Prophet and a Beast be tortured* 
forever? and does this verse so teach? 



*The words translated "tormented" and "torment" in Rev. 20: 10; 
14: 10, 11, are in the Greek basanizo and basanismos, the former a 
verb, the latter a noun. All Greek lexicographers agree that the first 
meaning of the verb is "to test," "to examine"; that its second mean- 
ing, derived from the ancient custom of testing persons by torture, 
e. g., in the ordeal, is "to test by torture," "to examine by torture" ; 
and that its third meaning is "to torture," "to torment." In Acts 22 : 24 
we have apart from the word an illustration of how ancient exami- 
nations were held by scourging, i. e., torture. The noun basanismos 



The Hell of the Bible. 87 

We answer in God's own words, "All the wicked will He de- 
stroy." Concerning Satan, the arch enemy of God and man, 
God expressly advises us that he will be destroyed, and not pre- 
served in any sense or condition. — Heb. 2 : 14. 

The beast and false prophet systems, which during the Gospel 
Age have deceived and led astray, will be cast into a great, con- 
suming trouble in the close of this Gospel Age. The torment of 
those systems will be aionion, i. e., lasting. It will continue as 
long as they last, until they are utterly consumed. So also the 
system of error, which will suddenly manifest itself at the end 
of the Millennial Age and lead the "goats" to destruction, will 
be consumed. (Rev. 20:7-10.) That deceiving system (not 
specified as to kind, but merely called Satan, after its instigator) 
will be cast into the same sort of trouble and destruction, in the 
end of the Millennial Age, as the Beast and False Prophet sys- 
tems are now being cast into it, in the end of the Gospel Age. 

Rev. 19:3, speaking of one of these systems, says: "Her 
smoke rose up forever and ever." That is to say, the remem- 



has the same three meanings in noun form. (See any Greek lexicon, 
but as the best authorities, especially, Liddell and Scott on the class- 
ical, and Thayer on the Biblical uses of these words.) In Rev. 20: 
10; 14:10, 11 the primary, and not the tertiary meaning of these 
words should be given. In Rev. 14 : 10 the thought seems to be that 
the destruction (fire and brimstone) of the institutions, symbolized 
by the Beast and the False Prophet, will be a very sore trial, test, to 
their devotees, who believe these institutions to be Divinely sanc- 
tioned, whereas they are Divinely disapproved. In Rev. 14:11 the 
meaning seems to be that the memory, history (smoke, what is left 
after a thing passes away, ceases to be), of the sore trial, test, of 
such devotees will eternally come up in men's minds. The meaning 
in Rev. 20 : 10 is very similar : Eternally will the perfect minds of 
God's creatures, found worthy of life, examine the nature, character, 
fruits and history of the Devil, Beast and False Prophet ; and as 
often as they examine them, will they draw the true conclusion from 
their examination, that these three things are deservedly in the lake 
of fire and brimstone, i. e., in annihilation. In Isa. 14: 12-14 under 
the symbol of one man, because of their cooperation, the Devil, 
Beast and False Prophet are described, as to their evil deeds; then 
verses 15-20 describe the "examination" — "shall be tormented" — of 
Rev. 20: 10; while verses 21-27 describe the casting of these into the 
figurative lake of fire and brimstone. The remark that the words 
basanizo and basanismos are derived from the word basanos, a 
touchstone, a means of testing and examining metals to determine 
their purity or their alloyedness, will prove helpful to a proper 
understanding of their signification. Had the Translators given us 
the primary, and not the tertiary meaning of these words, they would 
not only have prevented the widespread delusion, but would have 
spread the correct thought on the meaning of Rev. 14: 10, 11 ; 20: 10. 
— Editor's Note. 



88 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

brance ("smoke") of the destruction of these systems of decep- 
tion and error will be lasting, the lesson will never be forgotten 
— as smoke, which continues to ascend after a destructive fire, is 
testimony that the fire has done its work. — See also Isa. 34 : 8-10. 

Of Rev. 14: 9-1 1 we remark, incidentally, that all will at once 
concede that if a literal worshiping of a Beast and Image were 
meant in verse 9, then few, if any, in civilized lands are liable 
to the penalty of verse 11 ; and if the Beast and his Image and 
worship and wine and cup are symbols, so also are the torments 
and smoke and fire and brimstone. 

The casting of death and the grave into utter destruction, the 
Second Death, during the Millennial Age, is a part of the utter 
destruction which will include every improper, injurious and 
useless 'thing. (Isa. 11:9; Psa. 101 : 5-8.) The Second Death, 
the sentence of that individual trial, will be final : it will never 
be destroyed. And let all the lovers of righteousness say, Amen ! 
For to destroy the Second Death, to remove the sentence of that 
just and impartial trial, would be to let loose again not only 
Satan, but all who love and practise wrong and deception, and 
who dishonor the Lord with their evil institutions — to oppose, 
offend and endeavor to overthrow those who love and desire to 
serve Him and enjoy His favor. We rejoice that there is no 
danger of this, but that Divine Justice unites with Divine Wis- 
dom, Love and Power, to bring in everlasting righteousness on 
a permanent basis. 

"The wicked shall be returned into hell, and all the nations 
that forget God." (Psa. 9:17.) This statement of the Lord 
recorded by the Psalmist we find without any qualification what- 
ever, and we must accept it as a positive fact. If the claims of 
"Orthodoxy" respecting hell were true, this would be, indeed, a 
fearful message. But let us substitute the true meaning of the 
word sheol, and our text will read : "The wicked shall be returned 
into the condition of death, and all the nations that forget God." 
This we believe; but next, who are the wicked? In one sense 
all men are wicked, in that all are violators of God's law; but 
in the fullest sense the wicked are those who, with full knowl- 
edge of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the remedy pro- 
vided for their recovery from its baneful effects, wilfully persist 
in sin. As yet few — only consecrated believers — have come to a 
true knowledge of God. The world knows Him not, and the 
nations cannot forget God until they are first brought to a 
knowledge of Him. The consecrated have been enlightened, led 
of the Spirit through faith to understand the deep and hidden 
things of God, which reveal the glory of God's character, but 
which, though expressed in His Word, appear only as foolish- 
ness to the world. 

As we have hitherto seen, this will not be so in the Age to 



The Hell of the Bible. 89 

come, for then "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the 
Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Isa. 11:9.) Much that we 
now receive by faith will then be demonstrated to the world. 
When He who has ransomed man from the power of the grave 
(Hos. 13: 14) begins to gather His purchased possessions back 
from the prison-house of death (Isa. 61 : 1), when the sleepers 
are awakened under the genial rays of the Sun of righteous- 
ness, they will not be slow to realize the truth of the hitherto 
seemingly idle tale, that "Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, 
tasted death for every man." 

We have also seen that the gradual ascent of the King's High- 
way of Holiness in that Age will be possible to all, and com- 
paratively easy, because all the stones — stumbling-blocks, errors, 
etc. — will have been gathered out, and straight paths made for 
their feet. It is in that Age that this text applies. Those who 
ignore the favoring circumstances of that Age, and will not be 
obedient to the righteous Judge or Ruler, Christ, will truly be 
the wicked. And every loyal subject of the Kingdom of God 
will approve the righteous judgment which turns such an one 
again into sheol — the condition of death. Such an one would 
be unworthy of life; and, were he permitted to live, his life 
would be a curse to himself and to the rest of mankind, and a 
blemish on the work of God. 

This will be the Second Death, from which there will be no 
resurrection. Having been ransomed from the grave (sheol) 
by the sacrifice of Christ, if they die again on account of their 
own sin, "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin." (Heb.io: 
26.) "Christ dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over 
him." (Rom. 6:9.) The Second Death should be dreaded 
and shunned by all, since it is to be the end of existence to all 
those deemed unworthy of life. But in it there can be no 
suffering. Like Adamic death, it is the extinction of life. 

It is because through sin mankind had become subject to 
death (sheol, hades) that Christ Jesus came to deliver us and 
save us from death. (1 John 3:8; Heb. 2:14.) Death is a 
cessation of existence, the absence of life. There is no differ- 
ence between the conditions in the Adamic and Second deaths, 
but there is hope of a release from the first, while from the 
second there will be no release, no return to life. The first 
death sentence passed upon all on account of Adam's sin, while 
the Second Death can be incurred only by wilful, individual sin. 

That the application of our text belongs to the coming Age 
is evident, for both saints and sinners go into sheol or hades 
now. This Scripture indicates that, in the time when it ap- 
plies, only the wicked shall go there. And the nations that for- 
get God must be nations that have known Him, else they could 
not forget Him; and never yet have the nations been brought 



90 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

to that knowledge, nor will they be until the coming time, when 
the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth, and none 
shall need to say unto his neighbor, Know thou the Lord, for 
all shall know Him, from the least to the greatest of them. — 
Isa. 11:9; Jer. 31:34. 

The Hebrew word goi, rendered "nations" in this verse, is 
elsewhere used by the same writer and rendered "heathen," 
"Gentiles" and "people." The thought seems to be, any who do 
not become God's covenant people, even though they be - not 
openly wicked. The nations (Gentiles, all who under that full 
knowledge do not become Israelites indeed) who are forgetful 
or negligent of God's favors enjoyed, and of their duties and 
obligations to Him, shall share the fate of the wilfully "wicked," 
and be cast into the Second Death. 

In further proof of this, we find that the Hebrew word shub, 
which in our text is translated "turned," signifies turned back, 
as to a previous place or condition. Those referred to in this 
text either have been in sheol or are liable to enter it, but being 
redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, will be brought out of 
sheol. If then they are wicked, they, and all who forget God, 
shall be turned back or returned to sheol. 

Noting that we teach that the doctrine of everlasting torment 
was engrafted upon the doctrines of the Christian Church dur- 
ing the period of the apostasy, the great falling away which cul- 
minated in Papacy, some have inquired whether it does not seem, 
according to the works of Josephus, that this doctrine was firmly 
held by the Jews; and if so, they ask, does it not seem evident 
that the early Christians, being largely converts from Judaism, 
brought this doctrine with them in the very outstart of Chris- 
tianity? We answer, No; the doctrine of everlasting torment 
sprang naturally from the doctrine of human immortality, which 
as a philosophic question was first promulgated in something 
like the present form by the Platonic school of Grecian philos- 
ophy. These first affirmed that each man contained a fragment 
of deity, and that this would prevent him from ever dyirig. This 
foundation laid, it was as easy to describe a place for evil-doers 
as for well-doers. But to the credit of those heathen philoso- 
phers be it recorded that they failed to develop, or at least to 
manifest, that depth of degradation from benevolence and rea- 
son and pity necessary to paint, by word and pen and brush, such 
details of horrors and agonies as were soon incorporated into 
their doctrine, and a belief thereof declared "necessary to salva- 
tion" in the professed Church of .Christ. 

To appreciate the case, it is necessary to remember that when 
the Christian Church was established Greece stood at the head 
of intelligence and civilization. Alexander the Great had con- 
quered the world, and had spread respect for Greece every- 



The Hell of the Bible. 91 

where; and though, from a military point of view, Rome had 
taken her place, it was otherwise in literature. For centuries 
Grecian philosophers and philosophies led the intellectual world, 
and impregnated and affected everything. It became customary 
for philosophers and teachers of other theories to claim that 
their systems and theories were nearly the same as those of the 
Grecians, and to endeavor to remove differences between their 
old theories and the popular Grecian views. And some sought 
to make capital by claiming that their system embraced all the 
good points of Platonism with others which Plato did not see. 

Of this class were the teachers in the Christian Church in the 
second, third and fourth centuries. Conceding the popularly 
accepted correctness of the philosophers, they claimed that the 
same good features of philosophy were found in Christ's teach- 
ings, and that He was one of the greatest philosophers, etc. 
Thus a blending of Platonism and Christianity took place. This 
became the more pronounced as kings and emperors began to 
scrutinize religious teachings, and to favor those most likely to 
awe the people and make them law-abiding. While heathen 
teachers were truckling to such imperial scrutiny, and teaching 
an everlasting punishment for those who violated the laws of 
the emperors, who ruled as divinely appointed, we cannot sup- 
pose otherwise than that the ambitious characters in the Church 
at that time, who were seeking to displace heathenism, and to 
become the dominant religious power instead, would make prom- 
inent such doctrines as would in the eyes of the emperors seem 
to have an equal hold upon the fears and prejudices of the peo- 
ple. And what could be more to the purpose than the doctrine 
of the endless torment of the refractory? 

The same motives evidently operated with Josephus when 
writing concerning the belief of the Jews. His works should be 
read as apologies for Judaism, and as efforts to exalt that nation 
in the eyes of Rome and the world. It should be remembered 
that the Jews had the reputation of being a very rebellious peo- 
ple, very unwilling to be ruled even by the Caesars. They were 
hoping, in harmony with God's promises, to become the chief 
nation. Many rebellious outbreaks had occurred among them, 
and their peculiar religion, different from all others, came in for 
its share of blame for favoring too much the spirit of liberty. 

Josephus had an object in writing his two principal works, 
"Antiquities" and "Wars of the Jews." He wrote them in the 
Greek language while living in Rome, where he was the friend 
and guest successively of the Roman Emperors Vespasian, Titus 
and Domitian, and where he was in constant contact with the 
Grecian philosophers. These books were written for the pur- 
pose of showing off the Jewish people, their courage, laws, 
ethics, etc., to the best advantage before the Grecian philoso- 



92 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

phers and Roman dignitaries. This object is covertly admitted 
in his preface to his "Antiquities," in which he says: 

"I have undertaken the present work as thinking it will appear 
to all the Greeks worthy of their study. . . . Those that read 
my book may wonder that my discourse of laws and historical 
facts contains so much of philosophy. . . . However, those that 
have a mind to know the reasons of everything may find here a 
very curious philosophical theory." 

In a word, as a shrewd man who himself had become imbued 
with the spirit of the Grecian philosophers then prevailing, Jo- 
sephus drew from the Law and the Prophets, and from the tra- 
ditions of the elders and the theories of the various sects of the 
Jews, all he could find that in the most remote degree would tend 
to show : — First, that the Jewish religion was not far behind 
popular Grecian philosophy ; but that soyneivhat analogous theo- 
ries had been drawn from Moses' Law, and held by some Jews, 
long before the Grecian philosophers broached them. Secondly, 
that it was not their religious ideas which made the Jews as a 
people hard to control or "rebellious," as all liberty-lovers were 
esteemed by the Caesars. Hence he attempts to prove, at a time 
when virtue was esteemed to consist mainly in submission, that 
Moses' Law "taught first of all that God is the Father and Lord 
of all things, and bestows a happy life upon those that follow 
Him, but plunges such as do not walk in the paths of virtue into 
inevitable miseries." And it is in support of this idea, and for 
such purposes, evidently, that Josephus, after saying: "There 
are three philosophical sects among the Jews : first, the Phari- 
sees ; second, the Sadducees; and third, the Essenes," proceeds 
to give an account of their three theories; especially detailing 
any features which resembled Grecian philosophy. And because 
the last and least, the Essenes, most resembled the doctrines of 
the Stoics and leading Grecian theories, Josephus devotes nearly 
ten times as much space to their views as to the views of both 
Sadducees and Pharisees combined. And yet the Essenes were 
so insignificant a sect that the New Testament does not even 
mention them, while Josephus himself admits they were few. 
Whatever views they held, therefore, on any subject, cannot be 
claimed as having Jewish sanction, when the vast majority of 
Jews held contrary opinions. The very fact that our Lord and 
the Apostles did not refer to them is good evidence that the 
Essenes' philosophy by no means represented the Jewish ideas. 
This small sect probably grew up later and probably absorbed 
from Grecian philosophy its ideas concerning immortality and 
the everlasting torment of the non-virtuous. It should be re- 
membered that Josephus was not born until three years after 
our Lord's crucifixion, and that he published his "Wars" — 
A. D. 75 — and "Antiquities" — A. D. 93 — at a time when he and 



The Hell of the Bible. 93 

other Jews, like all the rest of the world, were eagerly swallow- 
ing Grecian philosophy and science, falsely so called, against 
which St. Paul warned the Church.— Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6 : 20. 

Josephus directed special attention to the Essenes because it 
suited his object to do so. He admits that the Sadducees, next 
to the largest body of Jewish people, did not believe in human 
immortality. And of the Pharisees' views he makes a blind 
statement, calculated to mislead, as follows : "They also believe 
that souls have an immortal vigor in them [This might be under- 
stood to mean that the Pharisees did not believe as the Saddu- 
cees that death ended all existence, but believed in a vigor or life 
beyond the grave — by a resurrection of the dead], and that 
under the earth there will be rewards and punishments, accord- 
ing as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and 
that the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison 
[death — not torture], but that the former [the virtuous] shall 
have power to revive and live again" 

Is it not apparent that Josephus has whittled and stretched 
the views of the Pharisees, as much as his elastic conscience 
would allow, to show a harmony between them and the philoso- 
phies of Greece? St. Paul, who had been a Pharisee, contradicts 
Josephus. While Josephus says they believed "that only the vir- 
tuous would revive and live again [Does not this imply a resur- 
rection, and imply also that the others would not live again, but 
remain dead, in the great prison — the tomb?] St. Paul, on the 
contrary, says : "I have hope toward God, which they them- 
selves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, 
both of the just and unjust." — Acts 24: 15. 

We have no hesitancy about accepting the testimony of the 
inspired Apostle Paul, not only in regard to what the Jews be- 
lieved, but also as to what he and the early Church believed; 
and we repeat, that the theory of the everlasting torment of the 
wicked, based upon the theory that the human soul cannot die, 
is contrary to both the Old and the New Testament teachings, 
and was introduced among Jews and Christians by Grecian phil- 
osophers. Thank God for the purer philosophy of the Scrip- 
tures, which teaches that the death of the soul (being) is the 
penalty of sin (Ezek. 18: 20) ; that all souls condemned through 
Adam's sin were redeemed by Christ's soul (Isa. 53: 10) ; and 
that only for wilful, individual sin will any die the Second 
Death — an everlasting punishment, not an everlasting torment! 

"I have set before thee this day life and good, death and evil." 
"I have set before thee life and death, blessing and cursing; 
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." — 
Deut. 30: 15, 19. We come now to the consideration of other 
Scripture statements in harmony with the conclusions set forth 
in the preceding articles. The words here quoted are from 



94 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

Moses to Israel. To appreciate them we must remember that 
Israel as a people, and all their covenants, sacrifices, etc., had a 
typical significance. God knew that they could not obtain life 
by keeping the Law, no matter how much they would choose to 
do so, because they, like all others of the fallen race, were weak, 
depraved through the effect of the "sour grape" of sin which 
Adam had eaten, and which his children had continued to eat. 
(Jer. 31:29.) Thus, as St. Paul declares, the Law given to 
Israel could not give them life because of the weaknesses or 
depravity of their nature. — Rom. 8:3; Heb. 7:19; 10 : 1-10. 

Nevertheless, God foresaw a benefit to them from even an 
unsuccessful attempt to live perfectly; namely, that it would 
develop them, as well as show them the need of the better Sacri- 
fice (the Ransom, which our Lord Jesus gave) and a greater 
Deliverer than Moses. And with all this their trial furnished a 
pattern or shadow of the individual trial insured to the whole 
world (which Israel typified) and secured by the "better sacri- 
fices'' for sin (which were there prefigured) to be accomplished 
by the great Prophet of whom Moses was but a type. 

Thus seeing that the trial for life or death presented to Israel 
was but typical of the individual trial of the whole world, arid its 
issues of life and death (of eternal life or the Second Death), 
may help some to see that the great thousand-years-Day of trial, 
of which our Lord Jesus has been appointed the Judge, contains 
the two issues, life and death. All will then be called upon to 
decide, under that most favorable opportunity, for righteousness 
and life or sin and death, and a choice must be made. And, al- 
though there will be rewards and "stripes" according to the 
deeds of the present life, as well as according to their conduct 
under that trial (John 3: 19; Matt. 10:42; 11:20-24), the ver- 
dict in the end will be in harmony with the choice expressed by 
the conduct of each during that Age of trial. 

The second trial, its sentence and its result, are also shown in 
the words of Moses quoted by St. Peter (Acts 3:22, 2^): "A 
Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your 
brethren, like unto me. Him shall ye hear in all things whatso- 
ever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every 
soul [being] which will not hear [obey] that Prophet [and thus 
choose life] shall be destroyed from among the people." Tn few 
words this calls attention to the world's great trial, yet future. 
It shows the great Prophet or Teacher raised up by God to give 
a new judgment or trial to the condemned race, which he has 
redeemed from the condemnation which came upon it through 
its progenitor, Adam. It shows, too, the conditions of eternal 
life to be righteous obedience, and that with the close of that 
trial some will be judged worthy of that life, and some worthy 
of destruction — the Second Death. 



, The Hell of the Bible. 95 

Our Lord Jesus, having redeemed all by His perfect and pre- 
cious sacrifice, is the Head of this great Prophet; and during 
the Gospel Age God has been selecting the members of His 
Body, who, with Christ Jesus, shall be God's agents in judging 
the world. Together they will be that Great Prophet or Teacher 
promised. "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the 
world ?" — 1 Cor. 6 : 2. 

The first trial was of mankind only, and hence its penalty or 
curse, the first death, was only upon man. But the second trial 
is to be much more comprehensive. It will not only be the trial 
of fallen and imperfect mankind, but it will include every other 
thing and principle and being out of harmony with Jehovah. 
"God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret 
thing." 

The "judgment to come" will include the judgment to con- 
demnation of all false systems — civil, social and religious. These 
will be judged, condemned and banished early in the Millennial 
Day, the light of truth causing them to come into disrepute and 
therefore to pass away. This judgment comes first, in order 
that the trial of man may proceed unhindered by error, preju- 
dice, etc. It will also include the trial of "the angels which 
sinned" — those angels "which kept not their first estate" of 
purity and obedience to God. Thus it is written by the Apostle 
of the members of the Body of the great Prophet and High 
Priest, who is to be Judge of all — "Know ye not that the saints 
shall judge angels ?" — 1 Cor. 6 : 3. 

This being the case, the condemnation of the Millennial trial 
(destruction, Second Death) will cover a wider range of offend- 
ers than the penalty or curse for the sin of Adam, which "passed 
upon all men." In a word, the destruction at the close of the 
trial will be the utter destruction of every being and every thing 
which will not glorify God and be of use and blessing to His 
general creation. 

In the preceding pages we briefly show the extreme penalty 
for wilful sin. Adam's penalty, which involved his entire race, 
was of this sort; and only as the result of Christ's death as our 
Ransom from the penalty of that wilful sin, is any forgiveness 
of it or of subsequent sins possible. 

Forgivable sins are those which result from weaknesses in- 
curred through that one Adamic sin, which Christ settles once 
for all. They are such as are not wilful, but are committed 
through ignorance or weaknesses of the flesh. God stands 
pledged to forgive all such sins upon our repentance, in the name 
and merit of Christ's sacrifice. 

Unpardonable sins, sins which cannot be forgiven, are such 
as are wilfully done. As the penalty of the first wilful sin was 
death — extinction of being — so death is the penalty of every 



96 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

wilful sin against full knowledge and ability to choose and do 
the right. This is called the Second Death, in distinction from 
the first or Adamic penalty, from which Christ's Ransom Sacri- 
fice will release all mankind. 

The "sin unto [Second] Death," for the forgiveness of which 
the Apostle declares it is useless to pray (i John 5: 16), is not 
only a wilful sin, but a sin against clear knowledge; a sin for 
which no adequate excuse can be found. Because it is a sin 
against clear knowledge, or enlightenment in holiness, it is 
called the "sin against the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 12:31, 32), for 
which there is no forgiveness. 

But there are other, partly wilful sins, which are, therefore, 
partially unpardonable. In such the temptations within and 
without (all of which are directly or indirectly results of the 
fall) have a share — the will consenting under the pressure of 
the temptation or because of weakness. The Lord alone knows 
how to properly estimate our responsibilities and guilt in such 
cases. But to the true child of God there is but one proper 
course to take — repentance and an appeal for mercy in the name 
and merit of Christ, the great sacrifice for sin. The Lord will 
forgive such a penitent, in the sense of restoring him to His 
favor; but he will be made to suffer "stripes" (Luke 12 : 47, 48) 
for the sin, in proportion as God sees it to have been wilfully 
committed. 

Not infrequently a conscientious person realizes that he has 
committed sin, and that it had some wilfulness in it. He prop- 
erly feels condemned, guilty before God; realizing his own 
guilt, and forgetting the Fountain for sin and uncleanness, 
opened by God for our weak, fallen race, he falls into a state of 
sadness, believing that he has committed the sin unto death. 
Such wander in deserts drear, until they find the cleansing 
fountain. Let such remember, however, that the very facts of 
their sorrow for sin and their desire to return to Divine favor 
are proofs that they haA r e not committed the sin unto death ; for 
the Apostle declares that those who commit sin of this sort can- 
not be renewed unto repentance. (Heb. 6:6.) Penitents*, then, 
may always feel confident that their sins were in part, at least, 
results of the fall, and hence not unto death, but requiring for- 
giveness and stripes. 

Such is the wonderful provision of God, through Christ, for 
the acceptance of every soul which, forsaking sin and the love 
of it, seeks righteousness and life through Him who is the Way, 
as .well as the Truth and the Life. Thus all, whether naturally 
stronger or weaker, have an equal opportunity to gain everlast- 
ing life. 

While the Scriptures teach that the present Gospel Age is the 
Church's Judgment Day or period of trial, and that the world's 



The Hell of the Bible. 97 

Judgment Day or time of trial will be the Millennial Age, it is, 
nevertheless, a reasonable question to ask to what extent will 
those who are not of the consecrated Church be held responsible, 
in the Millennial Age, for the misdeeds, of cruelty, dishonesty 
and immorality, of the present time? And to what extent will 
those of the same class then be rewarded for present efforts to 
live moral and benevolent lives? 

These are important questions, especially to the world; and 
well would it be for them if they could realize their importance 
and profit thereby. They are important also to the Church, 
because of our interest in the world, and because of our desire 
to understand and teach correctly our Father's plans. 

We have learned that the sacrifice of Christ secures for all 
mankind, however vile, an awakening from death, and the priv- 
ilege of thereafter coming to perfection, and, if they will, of 
living forever. "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both 
of the just and the unjust." (Acts 24: 15.) The object of their 
being again brought into existence will be to give them a favor- 
able opportunity to secure everlasting life, on the conditions 
which God requires — obedience to His righteous will. We have 
no intimation whatever in the Scriptures that, when awakened, 
the moral condition of men will have changed, but we have 
much, in both reason and revelation, to show that as they went 
into death weak and depraved, so they will come out of it. As 
there is "no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the 
&grave" (Eccl. 9: 10), they w r ill have learned nothing; and since 
they were sinners and unworthy of life and Divine favor when 
they died, they will still' be unworthy; and as they have re- 
ceived neither full rewards nor full punishments for the deeds 
of the present life, it is evident that just such a time of awak- 
ening as God has promised during the Millennium is necessary 
for rewarding, punishing and giving to all mankind the oppor- 
tunity for eternal life, secured by the great Ransom-Sacrifice. 

While, strictly speaking, the world is not now on trial, that is, 
the present is not the time for its full and complete trial, yet men 
are not now, nor have they ever been, entirely without light and 
ability, for the use of which they are accountable. In the dark- 
est days of the world's history, and in the deepest degradation 
of savage life, there has always been at least a measure of the 
light of conscience pointing more or less directly to righteous- 
ness and virtue. That the deeds of the present life have much 
to do with the future, St. Paul taught very clearly, when before 
Felix he reasoned of justice and self-government, in view of the 
judgment to come, so that Felix trembled. — Acts. 24:25, Diag- 
lott translation. 

At the First Advent of our Lord, an increased measure of 
light came to men, and to that extent increased their responsi- 



98 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

bility, as He said : "This is the condemnation, that light is come 
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, be- 
cause their deeds were evil." (John 3:19.) For those evil 
deeds committed against the light possessed, whether of con- 
science or of revelation, men will have to give an account, and 
will receive, in their Day of Judgment, a just recompense of 
reward. And likewise to the extent of their effort to live right- 
eously, they will receive reward in the Day of trial. — Matt. 10 : 42. 

If men would consider what even reason discerns, that a time 
of reckoning, of judgment, is coming, that God will not forever 
permit evil to triumph, and that in some way He will punish 
evil-doers, it would undoubtedly save them many sorrows and 
chastisements in the Age to come. Said the Prophet, "Woe unto 
them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and 
their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and 
who knoweth us?" (Isaiah 29: 15.) Behold, "The eyes of the 
Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" ( Prov. 
15:3) ; and "God shall bring every work into judgment, with 
every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." 
(Eccl. 12:14.) He "will bring to light the hidden things of 
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." — 
1 Cor. 4:5. 

The Age of Christ's Reign will be a time of just judgment; 
and though it will be an Age of golden opportunities to all, it 
will be a time of severe discipline, trial and punishment to many. , 
That the judgment will be fair and impartial, and with due con-w 
sideration for the circumstances and the opportunities of each 
individual, is also assured by the character of the Judge, The 
Christ (John 5:22; 1 Cor. 6:2), by His perfect knowledge, by 
His unwavering justice and goodness, by His Divine power and 
by His great love as shown in His sacrifice to redeem men from 
death, that they might enjoy the privilege of this favorable, in- 
dividual trial. 

The varied circumstances and opportunities of men, in this 
and past ages, indicate that a just judgment will recognize dif- 
ferences in the degree of individual responsibility, which will 
also necessitate differences in the Lord's future dealings with 
them. And this reasonable deduction we find clearly confirmed 
by the Scriptures. The Judge has been, and still is, taking min- 
ute cognizance of men's actions and words (Prov. 5:21), al- 
though they have been entirely unaware of it; and He declares 
that "every idle [pernicious, injurious or malicious] word that 
men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of 
Judgment" (Matt. 12:36) ; and that even a cup of cold water, 
given to one of His little ones, because he is Christ's, shall in no 
wise lose its reward. (Matt. 10:42.) The context shows that 
the "pernicious" words to which Jesus referred were words of 



The Hell of the Bible. 99 

wilful and malicious opposition spoken against manifest light. 
(Matt. 12:24, 31, 32.) He also affirmed that it would be more 
tolerable for Tyre, Sidon and Sodom in the Day of Judgment 
than for Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, which had mis- 
improved advantages of light and opportunity. — Matt. 11 : 20-24. 

In the very nature of things, we can see that the punishments 
of that Age will be in proportion to past guilt. Every sin in- 
dulged, and every evil propensity cultivated, hardens the heart 
and makes the way back to purity and virtue more difficult. Con- 
sequently, sins wilfully indulged now, will require punishment 
and discipline in the age to come ; and the more deeply the soul 
is dyed in willing sin, the more severe will be the measures re- 
quired to correct it. As a wise parent wuuld punish a wayward 
child, so Christ will punish the wicked for their good. 

His punishments will always be administered in justice, tem- 
pered with mercy, and relieved by His approval and reward to 
those who are rightly exercised thereby. And it will be only 
when punishments, instructions and encouragements fail — in 
short, when Love and Mercy have done all that Wisdom can 
approve (which is all that could be asked), that any will meet 
the final punishment which his case demands — the Second Death. 

None of the world will meet that penalty until they have first 
had all the blessed opportunities of the Age to come. And while 
this is true of the world, the same principle applies now to the 
consecrated children of God in this our judgment (trial) Day. 
We now receive God's favors (through faith), while the world 
will receive them in the next age, viz., instruction, assistance, 
encouragement, discipline and punishment. "For what son is he 
whom the Father c^hasteneth not? But if ye be without chastise- 
ment, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not 
sons." Therefore, when we receive grievous chastisement, we 
should accept it as from a loving Father for our correction, not 
forgetting "the exhortation which speaketh unto us as unto chil- 
dren, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor 
faint when thou art rebuked of Him ; for whom the Lord loveth 
He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." — 
Heb. 12:4-13. 

How just and equal are God's ways ! Read carefully the rules 
of the coming Age — Jer. 31:29-34 and Ezek. 18:20-32. They 
prove to us, beyond the possibility of a doubt, the sincerity and 
reality of all His professions of love to men: "As I live, saith 
the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; 
but that the wicked turn from his way and live : Turn ye, turn 
ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?" — Ezek. 33: n. 

All who in this life repent of sin, and, as the term repentance 
implies, begin and continue the work of reformation to the best 
of their ability, will form character which will be a benefit to 



ioo Life — Death — Hereafter. 

them in the Age to come; when awakened in the resurrection 
Age, they will be to that extent advanced towards perfection, 
and their progress will be more rapid and easy; while with 
others it will be more slow, tedious and difficult. This is implied 
in the words of our Lord (John 5 -.29, 30 — Diaglott) : "The hour 
is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear 
His voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done good unto 
the resurrection of life [those whose trial is past, and who were 
judged worthy of life, will be raised perfect — the faithful of 
past ages to perfect human life, the overcomers of the Gospel 
Age to perfect life as divine beings], and they that have done 
evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." These are awakened 
to judgment, to receive a course of discipline and correction as 
the necessary means for perfecting, or, otherwise, their con- 
demnation to the Second Death. 

The man who, in this life, by fraud and injustice, accumulated 
and hoarded great wealth, which was scattered to the winds 
when he was laid in the dust, will doubtless awake to lament his 
loss, and bewail his poverty and his utter inability under the 
new order of things to repeat unlawful measures to accumulate 
a fortune. With many it will be a severe chastisement and a 
bitter experience to overcome the propensities to avarice, self- 
ishness, pride, ambition and idleness, fostered and pampered for 
years in the present life. Occasionally we see an illustration of 
this form of punishment now, when a man of great wealth sud- 
denly loses all, and the haughty spirit of himself and family 
must fall. 

We are told (Dan. 12 : 2) that some shall awake to shame and 
age-lasting contempt. And who can doubt that, when every 
secret thing is brought into judgment (Eccl. 12:14), and the 
dark side of many a character that now stands measurably ap- 
proved among men is then made known, many a face will blush 
and hide itself in confusion? When the man who steals is re- 
quired to refund the stolen property to its rightful owner, with 
the addition of twenty per cent interest, and the man who de- 
ceives, falsely accuses or otherwise wrongs his neighbor, ,is re- 
quired to acknowledge his crimes and so far as possible to repair 
damages, on peril of an eternal loss of life, will not this be 
retributive justice? Note the clear statement of this in God's 
typical dealings with Israel, whom He made to represent the 
world. — 1 Cor. 10:11; Lev. 6:1-7. See also 'Tabernacle 
Shadows," page 99. 

As we are thus permitted to look into the perfect Plan of God, 
how forcibly we are reminded of His word through the Prophet 
Tsaiah, "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness 
to the plummet." (Isa. 28:17.) We also see the wholesome 
influence of such discipline. Parents, in disciplining their chil- 



The Hell of the Bible. 101 

dren, realize the imperative necessity of making their punish- 
ments proportionate to the character of the offences; and so in 
God's Government: great punishments following great offences 
are not greater than are necessary to establish justice and to 
effect great moral reforms. 

Seeing that the Lord will thus equitably adjust human affairs 
in His own due time, we can afford to endure hardness for the 
present, and resist evil with good, even at the cost of present 
disadvantages. Therefore, "Recompense to no man evil for 
evil." "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus 
our Lord." — Rom. 12: 17-19; Phil. 2:5. 

The present order of things will not always continue: a time 
of reckoning is coming. The just Judge of all the earth says, 
"Vengeance is mine, I will repay" ; and the Apostle Peter adds, 
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation 
and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgmnt to be pun- 
ished." (2 Pet. 2:9.) And, as we have seen, those punishments 
will be adapted to the nature of the offences, and the benevolent 
object in view: man's permanent establishment in righteousness. 

Other Scriptures corroborative of this view of future rewards 
and punishments are as follows. :2 Sam. 3:39; Matt. 16:27; 
1 Pet. 3:12; Psa. 19:11; 91:8; Prov. 11:18; Isa. 40:10; 
49 : 4 ; Matt. 5:12; 10 : 41, 42 ; Luke 6 : 35 ; Rev. 22 : 12 ; Rom. 
14: 11, 12. 

Having demonstrated that neither the Bible nor reason offers 
the slightest support to the doctrine that eternal torment is the 
penalty for sin, we note the fact that the various church creeds, 
and confessions, and hymn-books, and theological treatises, are 
its only supports; and that under the increasing light of our 
day, and the consequent emancipation of reason, belief in this 
horrible, fiendish doctrine of the dark ages is fast dying out. 
But alas ! this is not because Christian people generally are 
zealous for the truth of God's Word and for His character and 
willing to destroy their grim creed-idols. Ah, no ! they still 
bow before their admitted falsities; they pledge themselves to 
their defense, and spend time and money for their support, 
though at heart ashamed of them, and privately denying them. 

The general influence of all this is, to cause the honest-hearted 
of the world to despise Christianity and the Bible, and to make 
hypocrites and semi-infidels of nominal Christians. Because the 
nominal Church clings to this old blasphemy, and falsely pre- 
sents its own error as the teaching of the Bible, the Word of 
God, though still nominally reverenced, is being practically repu- 
diated. Thus the Bible, the great anchor of truth and liberty, 
is being cut loose from, by the very ones who, if not deceived 
regarding its teachings, would be held and blessed by it. 

The general effect, not far distant, will be, first open infidelity, 



102 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

then anarchy. For much, very much of this, lukewarm Chris- 
tians, both in pulpits and pews, who know or ought to know 
better, are responsible. Many such are willing to compromise 
the Truth, to slander God's character, and to stultify and deceive 
themselves, for the sake of peace, or ease, or present earthly ad- 
vantage. And any minister, who, by uttering a word for an 
unpopular truth, will risk the loss of his stipend and his reputa- 
tion for being "established" in the bog of error, is considered a 
bold man, even though he ignominiously withhold his name from 
his published protests. 

If professed Christians would be honest with themselves and 
true to God, they would soon learn that "their fear toward God 
is taught by the precepts of men." (Isa. 29: 13.) If all would 
decide to let God be true, though it should prove every man a 
liar (Rom. 3:4), and show all human creeds to be imperfect 
and misleading, there would be a great creed-smashing work 
done very shortly. Then the Bible would be studied and appre- 
ciated as never before ; and its testimony that "the wages of sin 
is death" (extinction), would be recognized as a "just recom- 
pense of reward." 

THE WRATH OF GOD 

"The wrath of God is love's severity 

In curing sin — the zeal of righteousness 
In overcoming wrong — the remedy 
Of justice for the world's redress. 

"The wrath of God is punishment for sin, 
In measure unto all transgressions due, 
Discriminating well and just between 

Presumptuous sins and sins of lighter hue. 

"The wrath of God inflicts no needless pain 
Merely vindictive or Himself to please; 
But aims the ends of mercy to attain, 
Uproot .the evil and the good increase. 

"The wrath of God is a consuming fire, 
That burns while there is evil to destroy 
Or good to purify; nor can expire 

Till all things are relieved from sin's alloy. 

"The wrath of God shall never strike in vain, 
Nor cease to strike till sin shall be no more; 
Till God His gracious purpose shall attain, 
And earth to righteousness and peace restore." 



CHAPTER VI 
SPIRITISM ANCIENT AND MODERN 

General Remarks. — Proofs That It is Demonism. — Who Are These Spirits 
Which Personate the Dead? — Obsession at the First Advent. — Modern 
Spiritism and Its Tendencies. — Warnings from a Spiritist and Sweden- 
borgian. — Many Possessed of Devils Today. — Spiritism Reviving. — Spirits 
Now Organize Churches. — "In the Secret Chamber." — "We Are Not 
Ignorant of His Devices." — Satanic Powers Malific. — "Be Not High- 
Minded, but Fear." — These Are the Strong Delusions. — Hypnotism and 
Telepathy Modern Demonism.— Communication with the Dead. — Rev. I. K. 
Funk, D.D., "Touched." — Rev. R. Heber Newton's Views. — Suggestive 
Facts Noted. — Experiences in Spiritualism. — Of an Irrelevant Character. 
—The Spirits Betray Their Evil Intention. — A Remarkable Vision. — 
"Why He Had Been Summoned to Me." — Arrest the Progress of Evil. — 
The Triumph and Defeat of Satan. — Physically Healed. — Preaching to 
the Dead. — Preaching to the Spirits in Prison. — Spirits Once Disobedient. 
— In Chains of Darkness. — Once Disobedient — Still Disobedient. — Fight- 
ing Against God. — Through Mediums and Obsessions. — "Know Ye Not 
That the Saints Shall Judge Angels?" — How Jesus Preached in Death. 

"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh 
and blood, but against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the 
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." — Eph. 6: II, 12, 
American Standard Revised Version. 

HpHAT which we believe to-be the truth respecting Spiritism 
-*■ is antagonized from two standpoints, (i) The majority of 
people have no confidence in Spiritism, but believe its claimed 
manifestations and proofs are fraudulent. (2) An increasingly 
large number are disposed to deny the existence of the evil spirit 
beings called demons, and of the prince of demons, called in the 
Scriptures the Devil and Satan. 

Rev. Adam Clark, D.D., has well said : 

"Satan knows well that those who deny his being will not be 
afraid of his power and influence; will not watch against his 
wiles and devices; will not pray to God for deliverance from 
the Evil One; will not expect him to be trampled down under 
their feet, if he has no existence; and, consequently, they will 
become an easy and unopposing prey to the enemy of their souls. 
By leading men to disbelieve and deny his existence, he throws 
them off their guard. He is then their complete master, and 
they are led captive by him at his will. It is well known that 
among all those who make any profession of religion, those who 
deny the existence of the Devil, are those who pray little or 
none at all ; and are, apparently, as careless about the existence 
of God as they are about the being of the Devil. Duty to God 

(103) 



104 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

is with them out of the question; for those who do not pray, 
especially in private — and I never saw a devil-denier who did — 
have no religion of any kind, except the form, whatever preten- 
tions they may choose to make." 

If it be asked how Spiritism could do injury to those who con- 
sider its claims to be deceptions and frauds and its votaries to 
be dupes, we answer that a large majority of its votaries are 
those who at one time thoroughly and heartily denied its claims 
and considered them impositions. Those who most thoroughly 
disbelieve in Spiritism are often the most ready to test its 
professed claims; and when convinced that many of its claims 
are genuine and many of its manifestations supernatural, these 
former disbelievers are more liable to become its devotees : 
whereas, if they had known just what Spiritism is, and how and 
by what power it operates, they would be on guard, and their 
judgment would have a support and guidance which it otherwise 
lacks. It is the lack of the true knowledge of Spiritism (im- 
parted through the Scriptures and confirmed by indisputable 
evidences from outside the Scriptures) which causes so many 
to fall a prey to this delusion. 

True, there are frauds committed in the name of Spiritism ; 
but these are chiefly in connection with attempted "materializa- 
tions." That Spiritists have done and can do, through some 
power or agency, many wonderful works beyond the power of 
man, has been abundantly proved in a variety of cases — some of 
them before scientific men, total unbelievers. Tambourines 
have been played while in the air beyond the reach of human 
hand and suspended by some invisible power; chairs have been 
lifted into the air while people were sitting upon them, and with- 
out any. connection with any visible power or agency; mediums 
have been floated through the air, etc. The rapping tests, the 
table-tipping tests, the autograph tests and the slate-writing 
tests have been proved over and over again, to the satisfaction 
of hundreds of intelligent people in various parts of the world. 
And Spiritism reckons amongst its adherents judges, lawyers, 
business-men and numbers of women of ability. These people 
have tested the claims of Spiritism and have candidly avowed 
their faith in it. And it is unwise, to say the least, to sneer at 
such as fools or knaves — fools if simply deluded by tricks and 
sleight of hand; knaves if they are willingly and knowingly lend- 
ing their time and influence to the perpetration of frauds. 

The writer was inclined to be skeptical with reference to all 
the various claims of Spiritism until convinced to the contrary 
by a Christian man, in whose testimony he was justified in hav- 
ing full confidence. This friend was not a believer in Spiritism, 
but, being thrown into the company of some Spiritists for an 
evening, the suggestion was made, "Let us have a seance." The 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 105 

company present assented, our friend remaining from curiosity. 
They sat down to a table, placed their hands upon it in the usual 
manner, and one of the number present being a medium in- 
quired, "Are there any spirits present?" The answer, indicated 
by raps upon the table — one for A, two for B, three for C, etc. — 
spelled out the information that spirits were present, but that 
they would hold no communication that evening. The medium 
asked "Why?" The answer rapped out was, "Because new 
mediums are being* appointed all over the United States." The 
company was disappointed and through the medium asked that 
as a .test the name of some prominent person dying that night 
should be communicated. The request was complied with and 
the name of a Russian dignitary, which we cannot now recall, 
was spelled out. This was before the Atlantic cable was laid, 
and my friend, anxious to test the matter, kept watch of the 
newspapers and finally, nearly a month after (the time requisite 
for Russian mails in those days) he saw the announcement of 
the death of the Russian notable bearing that very name. 

Our friend was convinced that Spiritism was not all a "hoax," 
and was anxious for another meeting. When it took place, in 
view of the answer at the previous meeting, the medium in- 
quired, "Are there any other mediums present? and, if so, how 
many?" The answer was "Four." The medium asked the spirit 
to please indicate which four of those present were mediums, 
and as each one called his name the mediums were indicated by 
a rap upon the table, by some invisible agent. Our friend was 
one of those indicated and right proud he felt of the honor. 
This occurred in Wheeling, W. Va. Shortly afterwards he 
visited an aunt, a widow. Anxious to display his newly con- 
ferred powers as a medium, he asked his aunt and her daughter 
to join him in a "seance." They were surprised, and the daugh- 
ter said, "Why, are you a medium? I am a rapping medium 
also, brother Harry is a tipping medium and mother is a writing 
and trance medium." Our friend had never witnessed the 
powers of any but rapping mediums, and was very anxious that 
his aunt should display the powers of her mediumship, and was 
shown writing done by her which was an exact fac-simile of 
his dead uncle's autograph upon checks. And strange, too, his 
uncle wrote a fine hand, while his aunt could not write at all, 
except under this influence. 

Wishing to test her powers as a talking medium, the three 
surrounded a small table, and the aunt called for a spirit to 
communicate through her. The answer given was that there 
would be no communication, because there were no unbelievers 
present to convince. They persisted, however, and got the aunt 
to call again for the spirit. The answer this time was that her 
hands were forcibly lifted from the table and brought down upon it 



106 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

with a bang. This was something surprising to them all. The 
spirits evidently were provoked at the pertinacity of a second 
call after their refusal. But after discussing the matter for 
some ten minutes our friend prevailed upon his aunt to call 
again for the spirits and see what else would happen. She 
complied, and in response her hands were lifted from the table 
and brought down with fearful concussion, three times in rapid 
succession, sounding as though very bone would be broken; 
and with her eyes staring out wildly and shrieking Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! 
she jumped from the table in a semi-delirious condition. 

That spirit, whoever it may have been, was evidently angry 
and wanted it understood that it could not be trifled with. Our 
friend informs us that never after that would his aunt have 
anything to do with Spiritism as a medium — she had caution 
enough to let it alone. But our friend was anxious to witness 
the powers of a "tipping medium," and in the evening when his 
cousin Harry came home he insisted on having an exhibition of 
his mediumship. Harry complied and amongst other tests was 
the following: — He placed a small, light table in the center of 
the floor and said, "I call for the spirit of our old dog Dash to 
come into this table." Then addressing the table he said, "Come, 
Dash !" The table balanced itself on two feet and hobbled after 
him around the room. 

We should here remark that our friend who vouches for these 
matters will no longer exercise any of his powers as a medium. 
He is a prominent Christian man now living in Pittsburgh, Pa. 
His views with reference to Spiritism are now the same that 
we are here endeavoring to present. 

The claim of Spiritists is, that these manifestations and com- 
munications from unseen intelligences are from human beings, 
who once lived in this world, but who, when seeming to die 
really became more alive, more intelligent, freer, and every way 
more capable and competent than they had ever been before. 
It is claimed that the purpose of these manifestations is to prove 
that the dead are not dead, but alive ; — that there is no need of a 
resurrection of the dead, because there are no dead — the dead 
being more alive than ever, after passing into what is termed 
death. We shall not stop here to show how inharmonious all 
this is to the testimony of Scripture upon this subject, but 
merely cite the reader to the Word of the Lord, reminding him 
that, "If there be no resurrection of the dead, . . . then they 
also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." — I Cor. 15: 
13,18; Job 14:21; Psa. 146:4; Eccl. 9:5,6. 

Here is the point of infatuation. As soon as the unbeliever 
in Spiritism has been convinced that an unseen intelligence com- 
municates through the medium he is all interest. Nothing else 
offers such proofs from invisible sources as does Spiritism; and 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 107 

many seem not only willing but anxious to walk by sight rather 
than by faith. Every one has friends who have died, and thou- 
sands are anxious to communicate with them if possible, and to 
receive from them some message or some advice. It is not sur- 
prising, therefore, to find people greatly absorbed in these mat- 
ters, and very willing to be directed by those whom they esteem 
their truest friends and most competent advisers. 

They visit a medium for the purpose of holding communica- 
tion with the dead. The medium describes the hair, the eyes, 
etc., and certain little peculiarities, such as a mole or an injured 
or deformed finger or foot (which the father or son or sister 
or wife identifies as the description of the loved one deceased) 
and delivers a message which, however vague or indefinite, is 
construed to be very important. The novices are filled with a 
sort of reverent joy mixed with a humble feeling of the inferi- 
ority of their own condition, and with a pride that they have 
been counted worthy to receive communications from "the spirit 
world," while so many good and great people are not so favored, 
but are "blind to the wonderful facts of Spiritism." The feel- 
ings thus started are somewhat akin to some kinds of religious 
feelings, and straightway the "converts" are ready to believe 
and obey the advice and instructions of those whom they believe 
to be so much wiser and holier than themselves, and so deeply 
interested in their welfare, present and eternal, as to leave the 
joys and ministries of Heaven to commune with them and in- 
struct them. 

The majority of people have no true Christian faith built 
upon the foundation of the Word of God; they have a wish for 
a future life, and a hope with reference to their dead, rather 
than a faith with reference to either. As a consequence, their 
minds being convinced that they have had communication with 
those beyond the grave, everything relating to the future life 
becomes more real and more interesting to them than ever 
before. And many such, wholly ignorant of religious feelings, 
say to themselves, Now I know what it is to have faith, and a 
religious feeling with reference to the future, and they congratu- 
late themselves that they have received a great spiritual blessing. 

But this is only the first lesson, and these comparatively up- 
lifting experiences belong chiefly to it. Later experiences will 
demonstrate, as all Spiritists will freely acknowledge, that there 
are "evil spirits," "lying spirits," which time and again deceive 
them ; and the messages and revelations, often foolish and non- 
sensical, gradually lead the investigator to a disbelief of the 
Bible and the Creator, while it teaches and exalts "the spirits" 
as the only sources of knowledge aside from nature; and thus 
the way is paved toward advanced lessons on "spirit-affinities," 
"free love," etc. But after the first deception and shaking of 



io8 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

confidence the explanation that there are "both good and bad 
spirits" is generally satisfactory; and the poor victim follows 
blindly on, because assured that he communes with some super- 
natural power. 

As an illustration of this wc mention the case of an old gen- 
tleman, a Pittsburgher, an avowed Spiritist and an earnest de- 
fender of Spiritism. We knew something of his history through 
a mutual friend; how that, while holding a communication 
through a medium, supposedly his "evoluted" wife, the latter 
said to him: "John, I am perfectly happy only for one thing; 
and that is on your account." He answered, "Oh, Mary, do not 
allow my affairs to mar your bliss ! I am comparatively happy 
for an old man and comparatively comfortable." But the an- 
swer came, "Oh, no, John, I know better ! I know that you are 
lonely, very lonely, that you miss me very much, and are suffer- 
ing from lack of many little attentions; and that your home is 
comparatively dreary." Mr. N. had full confidence in Mary's 
judgment, and the message carried great weight; and his home 
and its affairs gradually grew less happifying, and he gradually 
grew dissatisfied; and so at a subsequent "seance" he inquired 
of Mary what he could do that would relieve her burden and 
make her Miss complete. She replied that he should find a suit- 
able companion and re-marry. But the old gentleman (seventy 
years old) objected that even if he could find a suitable com- 
panion, such a one would not have him. But at frequent inter- 
views the supposed spirit of his wife insisted, and as he thought 
further over the matter he grew more lonely, and finally asked 
Mary to choose for him, as she had so much better judgment 
than any earthly being could have on the subject. The medium 
affected great indignation at the answer, and would not com- 
municate it at first. The more she objected to giving the an- 
swer, the more anxious Mr. N. became to have it, and finally the 
medium explained that the spirit of his wife had said that Mr. 
N. should marry her (the medium) ; but that she was indignant 
that the spirit should think that she w T ould marry an old man 
like him. 

But the more Mr. N. thought the matter over the more he was 
inclined to be, as he supposed, led by the good spirit of his wife 
into ways of pleasantness and into paths of peace; and he urged 
upon the medium that it was the duty of humanity to obey the 
behests of their best friends in the "spirit world." Finally the 
medium consented that if he would deed over to her what prop- 
erty he possessed she would agree to follow the directions of the 
spirit and marry him. The matter was consummated in legal 
form, and Mr. N. with his medium wife and her daughter pro- 
posed to make the formerly cold and cheerless home of Mr. N. 
all that his spirit-wife had wished for him. It was a very short 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 109 

time, however, before the poor old gentleman was very glad to 
abandon home and all, to get free from the two "she-devils," as 
he afterward knew them. 

But did not this shake the confidence of Mr. N. in Spiritism? 
By no means. He merely communicated with his wife again 
through another medium and was informed that a lying spirit 
had misrepresented her entirely and that she had given no such 
bad advice. Knowing these facts concerning his history when 
we met him shortly after, and he tried to urge upon the writer 
the claims of Spiritism, we said to him, "Mr. N., wc will admit 
that Spiritism is backed by some super-human phenomena, but 
we deny that the powers which communicate represent them- 
selves truthfully. They claim to be friends and relatives who 
once lived in this world, but the Scriptures assure us to the 
contrary of this that there is no work or knowledge or device 
in the grave, and that the dead know not anything. (Eccl. 9: 
5, 10.) They declare that the only hope of a future life is by a 
resurrection from the dead. You know, Mr. N., that whatever 
these powers may be which claim to be the spirits of your 
friends, their testimony is entirely unreliable. You cannot be- 
lieve their most solemn declarations. They are what the Scrip- 
tures term "lying spirits." We proceeded to give him, as we 
are about to give in this article, the identity of these spirits as 
set forth in the Scriptures. He heartily assented that some of 
the spirits were unreliable, "thoroughly bad," but claimed that 
others were very good, very truthful, and had frequently given 
good advice which had been very helpful to him. 

It is claimed by many Spiritists, especially by novices, that the 
influence of Spiritism is elevating; but those who have passed 
through the various stages of experience in this so called re- 
ligious system have found, and have publicly declared, that its 
influence is quite the reverse of elevating — it is demoralizing. 

The method of operation is explained by The Banner of Light, 
a leading Spiritist paper, in answer to the query, thus : — 

"O. Where a spirit controls the hand of a medium to write, 
is the impression always made through the brain? 

"A. Sometimes the control is what is termed mechanical con- 
trol ; then the connection between arm and brain is entirely sev- 
ered, and yet the manifestation is made through what is called the 
nervous fluids, a certain portion of which is retained in the arm 
for the purpose of action. But when the manifestation is what 
is called an impressional manifestation, then the brain and entire 
nervous system is used." 

Explaining the difference between Mesmerism and spirit con- 
trol, another journal, the Spiritual Age, says: 

"Suppose I magnetize you today; and that I, the mesmerizer, 
speak, write, act through you, you being unconscious: — this is 



no Life — Death — Hereafter. 

Mesmerism. Suppose, further, that I die tonight; and that, 
tomorrow, 1, a spirit, come and magnetize you, and then speak, 
write, act through you; this is Spiritualism [Spiritism]." 

The value of Spiritism to the world is thus summed up by the 
well known Horace L. Hastings : — 

"According to the theory of Spiritualists there are a hundred 
times as many disembodied spirits about us as there are men in 
the flesh. Among them are all the poets, authors, orators, mu- 
sicians and inventors of past ages. They know all they ever 
knew when they were in the flesh, and have been learning a 
great deal more since; and with their added powers and ex- 
tended experience they should be able to do what mortals have 
never done before. They have had free access to the public 
mind and public press, with no end of mediums ready to receive 
their communications, and thousands and thousands of inquirers 
who have anxiously questioned them, and earnestly desired to 
obtain information from them. They have had tables and slates 
and pens and pencils and banjos and pianos and cabinets and 
bells and violins and guitars ; and what have we to show for it 
all? Their business in this world has been to instruct men, to 
help them, to make them wiser and better. They have talked 
and rapped, they have tipped and rattled, they have fiddled and 
scribbled, they have materialized and dematerialized, they have 
entranced and exhibited; they have told us many things which 
we knew before; many things which we do not know yet; and 
many other things which it was no matter whether we knew or 
not; but when we come to real instruction, reliable information, 
or profitable and valuable knowledge, Spiritism is as barren as 
Sahara, as empty as a hollow gourd." 

We have in the Scriptures most abundant and most positive 
testimony that no communication could come from the dead 
until after the resurrection. Furthermore, we have positive 
Scripture testimony (i) that not only some, but all, of these 
spirits are "evil spirits," "lying spirits," "seducing spirits." The 
Scriptures forbid that humanity should seek to these for infor- 
mation, and clearly inform us that these demons or "devils" 
are "those angels which kept not their first estate" — some of the 
angels to whom was committed the supervision of mankind in 
the period before the flood, for the purpose of permitting them 
to endeavor to lift mankind out of sin; that by their failure all 
might learn that there is but one effectual remedy for sin, viz., 
that provided in Christ. These angels, instead of uplifting 
humanity, were themselves enticed into sin, and misused the 
power granted them, of materializing in human form, to start 
another race. (Gen. 6: 1-6.) Their illicit progeny was blotted 
out with the flood, and themselves were thereafter restrained 
from the liberty of assuming physical bodies, as well as isolated 



Spiritism Ancient and Modem. in 

from the holy angels who had kept their angelic estate inviolate. 
The Apostle Peter (2 Pet. 2:4) mentions these, saying, "God 
spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell 
[Tartarus] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be 
reserved unto judgment." jude (6) also mentions this class, 
saying, "The angels which kept not their first estate, but left 
their own habitation [proper condition] He hath reserved in 
everlasting chains — under darkness unto the judgment of the 
great day." Notice three points with reference to these evil 
angels. 

(1) They are imprisoned in Tartarus, restrained, but not de- 
stroyed. Tartarus is nowhere else rendered "hell," but in this 
one passage. It does not signify the grave, neither does it 
signify the Second Death, symbolized by the "lake of fire and 
brimstone"; but it does signify the air or atmosphere of earth. 

(2) They have some liberties in this imprisoned condition, 
yet they are chained, or restrained, in one respect — they are not 
permitted to exercise their powers in the light, being "under 
chains of darkness/' 

(3) This restriction was to continue until "the judgment 01 
the great day," the great Millennial Day — in all a period of over 
4,000 years. As we are now in the dawning of the Millennial 
Day — "the great day" — it is possible that this should be under- 
stood to mean that some of these limitations as to "darkness" 
may ere long be removed, gradually. If so, if the "chains of 
darkness" should be released, it would permit these evil spirits 
to work deceptions or "lying wonders" in the daylight (as they 
are now attempting to do) to the delusion of mankind more than 
ever has been known since the flood. 

These fallen angels, or demons, are not to be confounded 
with Satan the prince of demons, or devils, whose evil career 
began long before — who was the first, and for a long time the 
only, enemy of the Divine Government; who, having been 
created an angel of a superior order, sought to establish himself 
as a rival to the Almighty, and to deceive and ensnare Adam and 
his race to be his servants; and to a large extent, for a time at 
least, he has succeeded, as all know. As "the prince of this 
world," who "now worketh in the hearts of the children of dis- 
obedience," he has indeed a very multitudinous host of deceived 
and enslaved followers. Naturally he would appreciate the de- 
flection of the "angels who kept not their first estate," and who 
were restrained at the time of the flood ; and hence he is spoken 
of as their chief, "the prince of devils"; and no doubt as a 
superior order of being he exercises some degree of control over 
the others. 

These fallen angels, "demons," have probably very little to 
interest them amongst themselves ; evil beings apparently always 



H2 Life — Death— Hereafter. 

prefer to make game of the purer, and apparently take pleas- 
ure in corrupting and degrading them. The history of these 
demons, as given in the Scriptures, would seem to show that the 
evil concupiscence which led to their fall, before the flood, still 
continues with them. They still have their principal pleasure in 
that which is lascivious and degrading; and the general ten- 
dency of their influence upon mankind is toward working mis- 
chief against the well-disposed, and the debauchery of those 
over whom they gain absolute control. 

We are well aware that many Christian people have reached 
the conclusion that the Lord and the apostles were deceived, 
when they attributed to the works of demons conduct that is 
now considered human propensity and mental unbalance and 
fits. But all should admit that if our Lord was in error on this 
subject, His teachings would be an unsafe guide upon any 
subject. 

Notice the personality and intelligence attributed to these 
demons in the following Scriptures — "Thou believest that there 
is one God; thou doest well; devils also believe and tremble." 
(Jas. 2:19.) Do human propensities "believe and tremble"? 
The demons said to our Lord, "Thou art Christ, the Son of 
God ! And He, rebuking them, suffered them not to speak 
[further], for they knew that He was Christ." (Luke 4:41.) 
Another said, "Jesus / know and Paul / know, but who are ye?" 
(Acts 19 : 15.) The young woman from whom Paul cast out the 
spirit of soothsaying and divination (Acts 16: 16-19) is a good 
illustration. Can it be claimed by any that the Apostle deprived 
the woman of any proper talent or power? Must it not be con- 
fessed to have been a spirit which possessed and used her body ? 
— an evil spirit unfit to be tolerated there? 

Many of those who claim that the demons of the Scriptures 
were the spirits of wicked men and women who died, and that 
these are the "lying spirits" acknowledge^ by Spiritists, have 
still another difficulty; — for generally they claim that the spirits 
of wicked dead go to hell-torments, as they wrongly interpret 
shcol and hades to mean. If so, how could they be so mutfi at 
liberty? 

"Witchcraft," "Necromancy," the "Black Art," "Sorcery," etc., 
are supposed by many to be wholly delusions. But when we find 
that they had a firm hold upon the Egyptians, and that God made 
special provision against them with Israel, we are satisfied that 
He made no such restrictions either against that which is good, 
or against that which had no existence whatever. The instruc- 
tion to Israel was very explicit : they should not have any com- 
munion nor make any inquiries through necromancers (those 
who claimed to speak for the dead; i. e., spirit-mediums) ; nor 
with anv wizard or witch ; nor with any who had occult powers, 



Spiritism Ancient and Modem. 1 13 

charms; nor with those who work miracles by means of sor- 
cery and incantation. — Read carefully all of thefollowing Scrip- 
tures — Exod. 22 : 18 ; Deut. 18 19-12; Lev. 19:31; 20 : 6, 27 ; 2 
Kings 21:2. 6, 9, 11; 1 Chron. 10: 13,14; Acts 16: 16-18; Gal. 
5:19-21; Ifcv. 21:8; Isa. 8:19, 20; 19:3. 

The Bible story of King Saul's "seance" with the witch of 
Endor, a necromancer or spirit-medium, as related in 1 Sam. 
28 : 7-20, is an illustration of what is claimed to be performed 
today. Although the law with reference to these mediums was 
very strict and the punishment death, there were some who were 
willing to risk their lives because of the gains which could thus 
be obtained from people who believed that they were obtaining 
supernatural information from their dead friends — just as with 
spirit-mediums today. King Saul was well aware that there 
were numerous of these mediums residing in Israel contrary to 
the Divine injunction and his own law, and his servants appar- 
ently had no difficulty in finding the one at Endor. Saul dis- 
guised himself for the interview, but no doubt the crafty woman 
knew well the stately form of Saul — head and shoulders taller 
than any other man in Israel. (1 Sam. 9:2.) Hence her par- 
ticularity to secure a promise and oath from his own lips that 
no harm should befall her for the service. 

The method used by the evil spirits through the medium at 
Endor were similar to those in use today. They caused to pass 
before the medium's mental vision the familiar likeness of the 
aged Prophet, Samuel, wearing as was his custom, a long man- 
tle. When she described the mental (or "astral") picture, Saul 
recognized it at once as a description of Samuel ; but Saul him- 
self saw nothing — he "perceived," from the description, that it 
was Samuel. Easily convinced, as people under such circum- 
stances usually are, Saul did not stop to question how it could 
be that Samuel looked as old and stooped as he looked in the 
present life, if he was now a spirit being and far better off; nor 
did he inquire why he wore the same old mantle in the spirit 
world that he had worn when he knew him as an earthly being. 
Saul had been forsaken by the Lord and was now easily de- 
ceived by these "lying spirits," who personated the Prophet and 
spoke to Saul in his name, through their "medium," the witch, 
necromancer, Spiritist. 

The fallen spirits are not only well informed in respect to all 
the affairs of earth, but they are adepts in deceit. In answering 
Saul, the manner and style, and as nearly as could be judged 
the sentiments of the dead Prophet were assumed — the better to 
deceive. (Thus these "lying spirits" always seek to counterfeit 
the face, manner and disposition of the dead.) The response 
was, "Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?" This 
answer corresponds to the Jewish belief — that when a person 



1 14 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

died he became unconscious in "sheol" the grave, waiting for a 
resurrection. (Job 14:12-15, 21; Psa. 90:3; Eccl. 9:5, 6.) 
Hence the representation is that Samuel was brought up from 
the grave, and not down from Heaven; and that his rest or 
peaceful "sleep" was disturbed or "disquieted."— Psa. 13:3; 
Job 14 : 12 ; Psa. 90 : 5 ; John 11:11,14. 

Saul was easily deceived into thinking that the Prophet Sam- 
uel who had refused to visit him, to have any further converse 
with him while alive, had been forced to commune with him, by 
the wonderful powers of the witch. (See 1 Sam. 15:26, 35.) 
Saul's own testimony was, "God is departed from me and 
answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams." — 
1 Sam. 28: 6, 15. 

Any rightly informed person will readily see the absurdity of 
supposing that Samuel would hold any conference whatever 
with Saul under the circumstances. (1) Samuel (when living) 
was aware that God had forsaken Saul, and hence Samuel had 
no right to speak to him and no right to give him any infor- 
mation which the Lord was unwilling to give him. And Samuel 
would not do so. (2) It is thoroughly absurd to suppose that a 
spirit-medium under condemnation of the Lord and prohibited 
of the right of residence in the land of Israel could have the 
power at the instance of a wicked king, whom God had deserted, 
to "disquiet" Samuel and to bring him "up" out of sheol. Was 
Samuel down in the earth, or was he afar off in Heaven? and 
had the witch the power in either case to command him to pre- 
sent himself before King Saul to answer his question? Or is it 
reasonable to suppose that any spirit-mediums have the power 
to "disquiet" and "bring up" or in any other manner cause the 
dead to appear to answer the speculative questions of the living? 

The "familiar spirit" of the witch, personating Samuel, fore- 
told nothing which Saul himself did not anticipate. Saul knew 
that God's word had been passed that the kingdom should be 
taken from him and his family, and he had sought the witch 
because of his fear of the Philistine hosts in battle array for the 
morrow. He expected no mercy for himself and his family, 
God having told him that David would be his successor. He 
even anticipated, therefore, the statement which was the only 
feature connected with this story that indicates in any degree 
a supernatural knowledge; viz., "Tomorrow shalt thou and thy 
sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel 
into the hands of the Philistines." The well-informed demons 
knew full better than did Saul the strength of the Philistines' 
position and army, and the weakness of Saul's position and 
army, and that he himself was already panic-stricken and mak- 
ing this inquiry of the witch-medium because he was distracted 
at the situation. Any one familiar with the warfare of that time 



Spiritism 'Ancient and Modern. 115 

would know ( I ) that one day's battle would probably settle the 
question; and (2) that the death of the king and his household 
would be the only logical result. Nevertheless, the "familiar 
spirit" erred, for two of Saul's sons escaped and lived for years. 
It is even denied by scholars that the battle and the death of 
Saul occurred for several days after the visit to the witch. 

It is not surprising that Satan and the fallen angels, his con- 
sorts in evil, should know considerably more than do men, con- 
cerning many of life's affairs. We must remember that by 
nature they are a higher, more intelligent order than men; for 
man was made "a little lower than the angels (Psa. 8:5). Be- 
sides, let us remember their thousands of years of experience, 
unimpaired by decay and death, as compared with man's "few 
years and full of trouble," soon cut off in death. Can we 
wonder that mankind cannot cope with the cunning of these 
"wicked spirits," and that our only safety lies in the Divine 
provision that each one who so wills may refuse to have any 
communication with these demons? The Word of the Lord is, 
" Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (Jas. 4:7.) "Be 
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roar- 
ing [angry] lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour : 
zvhom resist, steadfast in the faith." — 1 Pet. 5:8, 9. 

But while able to tell things past and present, these evil intel- 
ligences are quite unable to do more than guess at the future. 
Yet these guesses are often so skillfully stated as to satisfy the 
inquirer and yet appear true, if the result should be the opposite 
of his expectation. Thus the oracle of Delphi having been con- 
sulted by Croesus demonstrated to him a super-human knowledge 
of present things, and when he, having thus gained confidence 
in it, inquired through its mediums, "whether he should lead an 
army against the Persians," the answer as recorded by Hero- 
dotus the historian was, "By crossing the Halys, Croesus will 
destroy a mighty poiver!" Relying upon this, Croesus attacked 
the Persians and was defeated. His own mighty power was de- 
stroyed ! History is full of such evidences that the demons 
know not the future ; God's Word challenges all such saying : 

"Produce your cause, saith the Lord ; bring forth your strong 
reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth and 
show us what shall happen; let them show the former things 
[things before or to come] what they be, that we may consider 
them, and know the latter end of them ; or declare us things for 
to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we 
may know that ye are gods." — Isa. 41 : 21, 23. 

But where was Samuel the Prophet, if Saul would be with 
him the day following? Clearly the meeting place would not be 
Heaven, for wicked Saul was surely unfit to enter there (John 
3:5) ; nor could the meeting be in a place of flames and tor- 



Il6 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

ment, for surely Samuel was not in such a place. No; the 
"familiar spirit" spoke to Saul from the standpoint of the gen- 
eral faith of that time, taught by Samuel and all the patriarchs 
and prophets ; namely, that all who die, good and bad alike, go 
to sheol, the grave, the state of death, the sleep from which 
naught can awaken except the resurrection power of Michael, 
the arch-angel (Dan. 12: 1, 2) ; — except it were claimed that the 
witch's "familiar spirit" could awaken the dead in advance; 
but this, as we are showing, was a deception, a fraud, the "lying 
spirit" personating the dead and answering for Samuel. 
Of this passage Charles Wesley wrote : — 

"What do these solemn words portend? 

A gleam of hope when life shall end? — 

Thou and thy sons shall surely be 

Tomorrow in repose with me: — 

Not in a state of hellish pain, 

If Saul with Samuel remain; 

Not in a state of damned despair, 

If loving Jonathan be there." 
One remarkable thing in connection with the manifestations 
of these fallen angels, or "demons," is that people of ordinary 
common sense are so easily deceived by them and accept such 
flimsy proofs respecting the dead, which they would not accept 
respecting the living. The inquirer will accept through the me- 
dium a description which fits to the individual and his manner, 
clothing and appearance years before, and will hold sacred a 
message purporting to come from him, whereas the same indi- 
vidual would be more on guard against deception by a living 
imposter, and his message through a servant. 

The mention in the Scriptures of these necromancers, witches 
and mediums, leads us to infer that through mediums evil spirits 
for centuries sought fellowship with the Israelites. But it is 
apparently the custom to change the manner of manifestation 
from time to time: just as witchcraft flourished for a time in 
New England and Ohio, and throughout Europe, and then died 
out and has been succeeded by Spiritism, whose tipping and rap- 
ping manifestations are gradually giving way to others, clair- 
audience and materialization being now the chief endeavors, the 
latter, being very difficult and the conditions often unfavorable, 
are often accompanied by mediumistic assistance and fraud. 

In the days of our Lord and the early Church the method of 
operations on the part of these demons had changed somewhat 
from the practices in the days of Saul, and we read nothing in 
the New Testament about witches, wizards and necromancy, but 
a great deal about persons possessed by devils — obsession. Ap- 
parently there were great numbers thus possessed throughout 
the land of Israel : many cases are mentioned in which our Lord 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 117 

cast out devils; and the power to cast them out was one of 
those conferred upon the twelve Apostles, and afterward upon 
the seventy that were sent out. The same power was possessed 
and exercised by the Apostle Paul. — See Luke 9:1; 10:11; 
Acts 13:8-11; 16: 18. 

Mary Magdalene, we remember, had been possessed of seven 
devils (Luke 8:2), and being set free from their control, she 
became a very loyal servant of the Lord. Another instance is 
mentioned in which a legion of spirits had taken possession of 
one man. (Luke 8:30; 4:35, 36, 41.) No wonder that his 
poor brain, assaulted and operated upon by a legion of different 
minds, would be demented. This tendency of these fallen spirits 
to congregate in one person indicates the desire they have still 
to exercise the power originally given them ; namely, the power 
to materialize as men. Deprived of this power they apparently 
have comparatively rare opportunities of getting possession of 
human beings. Apparently the human will must consent before 
these evil spirits have power to take possession. But when they 
do take possession apparently the will power is so broken down 
that the individual is almost helpless to resist their presence and 
further encroachment, even though he so desires. Our Lord in- 
timates such a condition (Matt. 12: 43-45), suggesting that, even 
after an evil spirit had been cast out and the heart swept and 
garnished, if it were still empty, there would be danger of the 
return of the evil spirit with others to re-possess themselves of 
the man; — hence the necessity for having Christ enthroned 
within, if we would be kept for the Master's use, and be used in 
His service. 

Apparently these evil spirits have not the power to impose 
themselves, even upon dumb animals, until granted some sort of 
permission; for, when the "legion" was commanded to come 
out of the man whom they posssessed, they requested as a privi- 
lege that they might have possession of the bodies of a herd of 
swine ; and the swine being according to the law unclean to the 
Jew, and unlawful to eat, the Lord permitted them to have pos- 
session of them, doubtless foreseeing the results, and with a 
view to giving us this very lesson. 

The same Apostle who speaks of these evil spirits as "lying 
wonders" and "seducing spirits" (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Thess. 2:9; 
compare Ezek. 13:6; 1 Kings 22:22, 23) tells us that the 
heathen sacrificed to these demons. (1 Cor. 10:20.) And so, 
indeed, we find that in various parts of the world there are 
demon manifestations, Amongst the Chinese these demon pow- 
ers are frequently recognized, and sacrifices are offered to them ; 
so also in India and Africa. Amongst the North American 
Indians in their savage state these evil spirits operated after 
much the same manner as elsewhere. An illustration is given 



Ii8 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

by Missionary Brainard in a "Report to the Honorable Society 
for Propagating Christian Knowledge," explanatory of the diffi- 
culties and obstacles to the spread of Christianity among the 
Indians with whom he had been laboring, as follows : — 

"What further contributes to their aversion to Christianity is 
the influence which their powaws {conjurers or diviners) have 
upon them. These are a sort of persons who are supposed to 
have a power of foretelling future events, or recovering the 
sick, at least oftentimes, and of charming, enchanting, or poison- 
ing persons to death by their magic divinations. Their spirit, in 
its various operations, seems to be a Satanic imitation of the 
spirit of prophecy with which the Church in early ages was 
favored. Some of these diviners are endowed with the spirit in 
infancy, others in adult age. It seems not to depend upon their 
own will, nor to be acquired by any endeavors of the person 
who is the subject of it. . . . They are not under the influence of 
this spirit always alike ; but it comes upon them at times. Those 
who are endowed with it are accounted singularly favored. 

"I have labored to gain some acquaintance with this affair of 
their conjuration, and have for that end consulted and queried 
with the man mentioned in my Diary, May 9, who, since his 
conversion to Christianity, has endeavored to give me the best 
intelligence he could of this matter. But it seems to be such a 
mystery of inquity, that I cannot well understand it, and do not 
know oftentimes what ideas to affix to the terms he makes use 
of. So far as I can learn, he himself has not any clear notions 
of the thing, now his spirit of divination is gone from him. 

"There were some times when this spirit came upon him in a 
special manner. Then, he says, he was all light, and not only 
light himself, but it was light all around him, so that he could 
see through men, and knew the thoughts of their hearts. These 
"depths of Satan" I leave to others to fathom or to dive into as 
they please, and do not pretend, for my own part, to know what 
ideas to affix to such terms, and cannot well guess what concep- 
tion of things these creatures have at these times when they call 
themselves (C all light." But my interpreter tells me that he heard 
one of them tell a certain Indian the secret thoughts of his 
heart, which he had never divulged. . . . 

"When I have apprehended them afraid of embracing Chris- 
tianity, lest they should be enchanted and poisoned, I have en- 
deavored to relieve their minds of. this fear, by asking them 
why their powaws did not enchant and poison me, seeing they 
had as much reason to hate me for preaching to them, and de- 
siring them to become Christians, as they could have to hate 
them in case they should actually become such? That they 
might have an evidence of the power and goodness, of God en- 
gaged for the protection of Christians. I ventured to bid a chal- 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 119 

lenge to all their powaws and great powers to do their worst on 
me first of all ; and thus I labored to tread down their influ- 
ence." — Memoirs of Brainard, pages 347-351. 

The New York Sun published the following account of the 
experiences of Capt. C. E. Denny, Indian agent for the Canadian 
Government among the Blackfect Indians. Capt. Denny says : — 

"On my arrival in the northwest territories with the north- 
west mounted police, in 1874, I was curious to find out how far 
these "medicine men" carried their arts, and also what these 
arts consisted of. I heard from Indians many tales of wonders 
done by them, but it was a long time before I got a chance to be 
present at one of these ceremonies. The Indians were reluctant 
to allow a white man to view any of their "medicine" cere- 
monies. As I got better acquainted with several tribes, particu- 
larly the Black feet, I had many chances to find out the truth re- 
garding what I had heard of them, and I was truly astonished 
at what I saw at different times. Many of the medicine feats 
did not allow of any jugglery, the man being naked, with the 
exception of a cloth around his loins, and I sitting within a few 
feet of him. 

"All Indians believe in their familiar spirit, which assumed 
all kinds of shapes, sometimes that of an owl, a buffalo, a 
beaver, a fox, or any other animal. This spirit it was that gave 
them the power to perform the wonders done by them, and was 
firmly believed in by them all. 

"On one occasion I was sitting in an Indian tent alone with 
one of the "medicine" men of the Blackfeet Indians. It was 
night and all was quiet in the camp. The night was calm, with 
a bright moon shining. On a sudden the Indian commenced to 
sing, and presently the lodge, which was a large one, commenced 
to tremble; and the trembling increased to such a degree that 
it rocked violently, even lifting off the ground, first on one side 
and then on the other, as if a dozen pair of hands were heaving 
it on the outside. This lasted for about two minutes, when I 
ran out, expecting to find some Indians on the outside who had 
played me a trick, but, to my astonishment, not a soul was in 
sight, and what still more bewildered me was to find on exami- 
nation that the lodge was firmly pegged down to the ground, it 
being impossible for any number of men to have moved and re- 
placed the pegs in so short a time. I did not enter the lodge 
again that night, as the matter looked, to say the least, uncanny. 

"On another occasion I visited a lodge where a 'medicine 
smoke* was in progress. There were about a dozen Indians in 
the lodge. After the smoke was over, a large copper kettle, 
about two feet deep, and the same or a little more in diameter, 
was placed empty on the roaring fire in the middle of the lodge. 
The medicine man who was stripped, with the exception of a 



120 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

cloth about his loins, was all this time singing a 'medicine' in a 
low voice. 

"The pot after a short while became red-hot, and a pole being 
passed through the handle, it was lifted in this state off the fire 
and placed on the ground, so close to me that the heat was 
almost unbearable. On the pole being withdrawn the medicine 
man sprang to his feet and, still singing his song, stepped 
with both naked feet into the red-hot kettle and danced for at 
least three minutes in it, still singing to the accompaniment of 
the Indian drums. I was so close, as I have before said, that the 
heat of the kettle was almost unbearable, and I closely watched 
the performance, and saw this Indian dance for some minutes 
with his bare feet in it. On stepping out he seemed none the 
worse ; but how he performed the act was and is still a mystery 
to me." 

Similar feats are performed by the fetish men of India "under 
control"; and tests given by "spirit mediums" "under control" 
sometimes include the handling of fire, red hot glass, etc., with 
bare hands without injury. God has protected His faithful in 
the flames (Dan. 3 : 19-27), and it seems that He does not always 
hinder Satan's use of such power. 

Dr. Ashmore, of long experience as a missionary in China, says : 

"I have no doubt that the Chinese hold direct communications 
with the spirits of another world. They never pretend that they 
are the spirits of their departed friends. They get themselves 
in a certain state and seek to be possessed by these spirits. I 
have seen them in certain conditions invite the spirits to come 
and to inhabit them. Their eyes become frenzied, their features 
distorted, and they pour out speeches which are supposed to be 
the utterances of the spirits." 

An old issue of Youth's Day Spring contains a letter from a 
missionary describing the condition of the Africans on the 
Gaboon river at the approach of death. He says : 

"The room was filled with women who were weeping in the 
most piteous manner, and calling on the spirits of their fathers 
and others who were dead, and upon all spirits in whom they be- 
lieved, Ologo, Njembi, Abambo, and Miwii, to save the man 
from death." 

A Wesleyan missionary, Mr. White, says: 

"There is a class of people in New Zealand called Eruku. or 
priests; these men pretend to have intercourse with departed 
spirits." 

No part of humanity has been exempted from the attacks of 
these demons, and their influence is always baneful. India is 
full of it. So generally accepted at one time was the belief in 
demon-possession, that the Roman Catholic Church, through her 
priests, regularly practiced "exorcism," or casting out of demons. 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 121 

The very earliest recorded spirit manifestation was in Eden, 
when Satan, desiring to tempt mother Eve, used or "obsessed" 
the serpent. Mother Eve claimed that she was deceived by the 
serpent's misrepresentations. God allowed the claim as true, and 
sentenced the serpent, which there became the symbolic repre- 
sentative of Satan. As the father of lies he there took posses- 
sion of a serpent to deceive Eve and lead her to disbelieve God's 
command by the false assurance, "Ye shall not surely die" ! So 
ever since, though he has varied his methods and mediums, all 
of them are to deceive — to blind the minds of mankind, lest the 
glorious light of the goodness of God, as it shines in the face of 
Jesus Christ our Lord, should shine unto them. 

Thanks be to God for the promise that, in due time, the King- 
dom of God shall be established in the earth, in the hands of our 
Lord Jesus and His completed and glorified Church, and that 
one of the first works of that Kingdom, preparatory to its bless- 
ing "all the families of the earth/' will be the binding of that 
Old Serpent, the Devil and Satan, that he may deceive the na- 
tions no more for the thousand years of Christ's Reign; until 
all men shall be brought to a clear knowledge of the Truth, and 
to a full oportunity to avail themselves of the gracious provi- 
sions of the New Covenant, suretied at Calvary through the 
precious blood of Christ. 

While the name Old Serpent includes Satan, "the prince of 
devils," it is here evidently used as a synonym for all the sinful 
agencies and powers which had their rise in him. It therefore 
includes the legions of "evil spirits," "familiar spirits," "seduc- 
ing spirits." 

Spiritism, as a deceiving influence under the control of Satan, 
is foretold by the Apostle Paul. After telling of the work of 
Satan in the great Apostacy of which Papacy is the head-center, 
the Man of Sin, the Mystery of Iniquity,* the Apostle draws his 
subject to a close by pointing out that Satan, toward the end of 
this Age, will be granted special license to deceive by peculiar 
arts all who, having been highly favored with the Word of God, 
have failed to appreciate and use it. He says : "For this cause 
God will send them strong delusion [a working deception], that 
they may believe a lie: that they may all be condemned, who 
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness [doc- 
trinal or practical]." — 2 Thess. 2: 11, 12. 

We shall not be at all surprised if some later manifestations 
of the powers of darkness, transformed to appear as the angels 
of light and progress, shall be much more specious and delusive 
than anything yet attempted. We do well to remember the 
Apostle's words : "We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with 



*See Studies ix the Scriptures, Vol. II, chapter 9, pages 267-366. 



122 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

princely powers of darkness, with the spiritual things of the 
evil one." — Eph. 6:12. 

In 1842, six years before "modem Spiritism" began to oper- 
ate, Edward Bickersteth, a servant of God and student of His 
Word, wrote: 

"Looking at the signs of the times, and the long neglect and 
unnatural denial of all angelic ministration or spiritual influ- 
ence, and at the express predictions of false Christs, and false 
prophets, zvho shall show signs and wonders, insomuch that if it 
zvere possible they should deceive the very elect, and at the fact 
that when men receive not the love of the truth that they might 
be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, 
that they shall believe a lie; I cannot but think there is a pain- 
ful prospect of a sudden recoil and religious revulsion from the 
present unbelief and misbelief, to an unnatural and undistin- 
guishing credulity." 

Satan is the inspirer and supporter of every Anti-Christ; and 
as he led those who had pleasure in error rather than the truth 
to the organization of the great Anti-Christ, Papacy, symbol- 
ically the "Beast" of Rev. 13, and as he has successfully pro- 
duced a Protestant "Image of the Beast," with life, which will 
cooperate with the chief Anti-Christ, so in combination with 
these will be the powers of darkness, the powers of the air, the 
lying and seducing spirits, operating in some manner or in a 
variety of ways — Spiritism, Christian Science, Theosophy, Hyp- 
notism, etc. 

"Rev. Father Coppens, M.D. [Roman Catholic], Professor in 
Creighton University," delivered a discourse on "Borderland of 
Science," from which we extract the following on the phe- 
nomena of Spiritism: — 

"What must we think of the nature of Spiritism, with its 
spirit rappings, table-turning, spirit apparitions and so on? Can 
the facts, which are not imposture, but realities, be explained by 
the laws of nature, the powers of material agents and of men? 
All that could possibly be done by the most skilled scientists, by 
the most determined materialists who believe neither in God nor 
in demon, as well as by the most conscientious Christians, has 
only served to demonstrate, to perfect evidence that effects are 
produced which can no more be attributed to natural agency 
than speech and design can be attributed to a piece of wood. 
One principle of science throws much light on the nature of all 
those performances ; namely, that every effect must have a pro- 
portionate cause. When the effect shows knowledge and design, 
the cause must be intelligent. Now many of these marvels evi- 
dently show knowledge and design, therefore the cause is cer- 
tainly intelligent. 

"A table cannot understand and answer questions; it cannot 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 123 

move at a person's bidding. A medium cannot speak in a lan- 
guage he has never learned, nor know the secret ailment of a 
patient far away, nor prescribe the proper remedies without 
knowledge of medicine. Therefore these effects, when they 
really exist, are due to intelligent agents, agents distinct from 
the persons visibly present, invisible agents therefore, spirits of 
another world. 

"Who are these agents? God and His good angels cannot 
work upon these wretched marvels, the food of a morbid curi- 
osity, nor could they put themselves at the disposal of pious men 
to be trotted out as monkeys on the stage. The spirits which are 
made to appear at the seances are degraded spirits. Spiritual- 
ists themselves tell us they arc lying spirits. Those lying 
spirits say they are the souls of the departed, but who can be- 
lieve their testimony, if they are lying spirits, as they are ac- 
knowledged to be? This whole combination of imposture and 
superstition is simply the revival in a modern dress of a very 
ancient deception of mankind b,y playing on men's craving for 
the marvelous. Many imagine these are recent discoveries, 
peculiar to this age of progress. Why, this spirit-writing is 
and has been for centuries extensively practiced in benighted 
pagan China, while even Africans and Hindoos are great adepts 
at table-turning. It is simply the revival of ancient witchcraft, 
which Simon Magus practiced in St. Peter's time; which flour- 
ished in Ephesus while St. Paul was preaching the Gospel there. 
It is more ancient still. These were the abominations for which 
God commissioned the Jews in Moses' time to exterminate the 
Canaanites and the other inhabitants of the promised land." 

The claim of Spiritists is that Spiritism is the new gospel 
which is shortly to revolutionize the world — socially, religiously, 
politically. But, as we have just seen, Spiritism under various 
garbs has long held possession of the world and borne bad fruit 
in every clime. It is over seventy years since the rapping and 
tipping manifestations first occurred, in Rochester, N. Y. (1848), 
and gave start to what is at present known in the United 
States as "Spiritualism." It began with strange noises in a 
"haunted house," and first answered a little girl, who addressed 
the unseen author of the noises as "Old Splithoof." It had a 
rapid run of popularity, and judges, doctors, lawyers, ministers 
and hundreds of thousands of others speedily became its vota- 
ries, until its friends and its enemies claimed that its adherents 
numbered over ten millions. Believing in the consciousness of 
the dead, ignorant of the Scripture teachings on the subject of 
death and of their prohibition from holding communion with 
"mediums"; and very generally disbelieving in evil spirits, it is 
not surprising that intelligent men and women, having proved 
to their own satisfaction that supernatural powers were in their 



124 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

midst, as manifested by the rappings, tippings, slate-writings, 
answers to questions through mediums, clairvoyances, etc., 
should believe these invisible powers which desire to converse 
with them to be what they profess — their deceased friends. 
Even allowing that there are certain tricks of legerdemain, and 
certain frauds along similar lines, we cannot wonder that intelli- 
gent people would believe their own senses in respect to in- 
stances which they had personally investigated. 

As a result, for a time many of God's people were in great 
danger, because of their failure to take heed to the sure Word 
of God's testimony (the Bible) on this subject. Indeed, the per- 
sonating spirits seem at first to have been very careful in all 
their references to the Bible, sometimes advising the religious 
ones who attended seances to do more reading of the Bible, 
more praying, etc. But this was only to allay their suspicions 
and fears and to get them more fully under their influence. 
Gradually the teachings became more and more lax, and the 
student was given to understand that the Bible was better than 
nothing to the uninitiated world, but to those who had come to 
have intercourse with the spirits direct, the Bible was useless — 
and worse, a hindrance. 

Well has an able writer upon the subject said of Spiritism: 

"A system which commences with light, innocent, trifling and 
frivolous performances and communications, but which ends in 
leading its followers to deny 'the Lord that bought them,' and to 
reject the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever, gives 
evidence that there may be a deep purpose under all its fantastic 
tricks ; and that the craft of the Old Serpent, who is a liar from 
the beginning, may underlie those trifling and unimportant com- 
munications which, by stimulating curiosity and inspiring confi- 
dence, lull to slumber the suspicions of honest but undiscerning 
souls, until they are in the fatal coils of the Enemy of all 
righteousness." 

These demons who personate the dead, seeing that a New 
Dispensation is opening, were prompt to apply their knowledge 
so far as possible to the advancement of their own cause, and 
freely declared a New Dispensation at hand, and Spiritism the 
guiding angel which was to lead mankind safely into it; and 
they have not hesitated to declare that the New Dispensation 
means the utter wreck of the present social order, and the estab- 
lishment of Spiritism as the new order. In some instances, 
where they thought it would serve their purpose, they have not 
hesitated to declare the Second Coming of Christ, and on one 
occasion at least it was distinctly stated that Christ had come a 
second time; and it was intimated that they were ready, if any 
one chose, to grant communication with Christ through the 
medium. 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 125 

Many of God's people have been saved from being ensnared 
into this great evil, by what we might term their own spiritual 
sense, by which they discerned that there was something in con- 
nection with Spiritism quite at variance with the spirit of our 
Lord and the sentiments of His Word. We may safely conclude, 
however, on the strength of the Lord's promise, that none of the 
fully consecrated — the "elect" — are suffered to be fully en- 
snared. — Matt. 24 : 24. 

The strongly marked tendency of Spiritism toward free- 
loveism served to bring it into general disrepute amongst the 
pure minded, who concluded that, if the influence of the dead 
was properly represented in some living advocates of Spiritism, 
then the social conditions beyond the vale of death must be 
much worse, much more impure, than they are in the present 
life, instead of much better, as these demon spirits claim. 

We could make voluminous quotations from Spiritist writings, 
proving that it totally denies the Bible, and that it is in direct 
opposition to its teachings ; that it has denied the very existence 
of God, teaching instead merely a good principle, and that every 
man is a god. It denies the atonement and the Lordship of 
Christ, while it claims that He was a spirit-medium of low 
degree; and furthermore, abundant testimony could be quoted 
from prominent Spiritists proving that the tendencies of Spir- 
itism are extremely demoralizing. We will content oursefves 
with one. 

Here is the testimony of J. F. Whitney, editor of the Path- 
finder (N. Y.). Having been a warm and evidently an honest 
defender and advocate of Spiritism for a long time and well 
acquainted with its devotees, his is a testimony hard to impeach. 
He says : — 

"Now, after a long and constant watchfulness, seeing for 
months and years its progress and its practical workings upon 
its devotees, its believers, and its mediums, we are compelled to 
speak our honest conviction, which is, that the manifestations 
coming through the acknowledged mediums, who are designated 
as rapping, tipping, writing and trance mediums, have a baneful 
influence upon believers, and create discord and confusion ; that 
the generality of these teachings inculcate false ideas, approve 
of selfish individual acts, and endorse theories and principles 
which, when carried out, debase and make man little better than 
the brute. These are among the fruits of modern Spiritualism. 

"Seeing, as we have, the gradual progress it makes with its 
believers, particularly its mediums, from lives of morality to 
those of sensuality and immorality, gradually and cautiously 
undermining the foundation of good principles, we look back 
with amazement to the radical change which a few months will 
bring about in individuals; for its tendency is to approve and 



126 Life^-Death — Hereafter. 

endorse each individual act and character, however good or bad 
these acts may be." 

He concludes by saying: "We desire to send forth our warn- 
ing voice, and if our humble position, as the head of a public 
journal, our known [former] advocacy of Spiritualism, our ex- 
perience, and the conspicuous part we have played among its 
believers, the honesty and fearlessness with which we have de- 
fended the subject, will weigh anything in our favor, we desire 
that our opinions may be received, and those who are moving 
passively down the rushing rapids to destruction, should pause, 
ere it be too late, and save themselves from the blasting influ- 
ence which those manifestations are causing." 

So bold and outspokenly immoral did some of the prominent 
representatives of Spiritism become, especially the female me- 
diums (and most of its mediums are females), that the moral 
sense of civilization was shocked; and for a time demonism 
under the name of "Spiritualism" languished. Now that its past 
is measurably forgotten or denied, it is reviving, but along some- 
what different lines. The new method seems to be to have less 
tipping and rapping and fewer special mediums, or rather to 
make of each believer a medium, by the use of mechanical appli- 
ances. Indeed, almost all who become investigators are assured 
that they would make excellent mediums. This flattery is no 
doubt intended to lure them on, the ability to do "wonders" hav- 
ing a great fascination, especially for people of naturally medio- 
cre talents. Nor is the statement untrue : none but idiots are so 
stupid or so ignorant that they cannot be used as mediums; and 
they may become powerful mediums in proportion as they yield 
themselves obediently to the "control" of these "seducing spirits" 
and their "doctrines of devils (See I Tim. 4:1) and are "led 
captive" by Satan at his will. — 2 Tim. 2 : 26. 

The term "seducing spirits" exactly fits the case. From 
amusement of curiosity and answering of questions, sometimes 
quite truthfully, they proceed to gain the Confidence of their 
victims, and in a plausible manner to break down the will power 
and make slaves of them. Then they tyrannize in a most dia- 
bolical manner, leading into excesses of various kinds. Should 
conscience rebel or an attempt be made to get free from this 
slavery, all reserve is cast aside and the victim is taunted with 
his fall, persuaded that there is no hope for him, and that his 
only future pleasure must be in diabolism — Scriptures being 
skillfully quoted and cited to apparently prove this. 

A case of this kind came under the writer's observation. A 
gentleman who had occasionally attended on preaching asked 
that an interview be granted his sister whom he would bring 
from Cleveland for the purpose. She was, he said, laboring 
under the delusion that she had committed the unpardonable 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 127 

sin, and he hoped we could disabuse her mind of the thought 
which sometimes made her ''wild." We consented, and she 
came. She conversed rationally enough but assured us that her 
case was hopeless. We explained the Scriptures relating to the 
"sin unto death" and endeavored to show her that she had never 
had sufficient light to come under its conditions, but we could 
make no headway. She declared that she had been in a salvable 
condition once, but was so no longer. 

She told us how she had met in California a man who* had a 
familiar spirit and occult powers ; at first disbelieving, she after- 
ward became his co-worker in "mysteries" resembling witch- 
craft, and had finally inveigled and injured a dear female friend. 
Since then remorse had seized her, and she had been tortured 
and at times frenzied and hope had forever fled. Before she left 
us she seemed comforted a little by what we told her of Divine 
compassion and the abundant provision made in the great 
Ransom for all given at Calvary. But we have heard since 
that she lost hope again and has been placed in an asylum to 
hinder her from taking her own life. She could not be trusted 
alone: she would attempt to throw herself headlong from a 
window, or while quietly walking the street would attempt to 
throw herself under passing vehicles; — reminding us of the 
case mentioned in Mark 9 : 22. We have regretted, since, that 
instead of .merely reasoning with the poor woman we did not, 
also, in the name of the Lord, exorcise the evil spirit which evi- 
dently possessed her ; or, failing to cast it out, at least have in- 
structed and helped her to exercise her will power to resist the 
demon. 

There are good spirits, as the Scriptures freely declare; and 
these holy angels are charged with the care of all who are fully 
consecrated to the Lord. These, however, do not operate in 
darkness, nor through "mediums," and have better employment 
than tipping tables, rapping out answers to foolish questions and 
entertaining humanity. "Are they not all ministering spirits, 
sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" 
(Heb. 1:14.) There is no warrant, however, for seeking or 
expecting communications from these holy guardian angels: 
God's will being that His "elect" shall walk by faith and not by 
unusual manifestations or sights or sounds. To this end He 
has prepared His Word as a storehouse of knowledge from 
which His faithful shall be supplied with "meat in due season"; 
and He declares it to be sufficient that the man of God may be 
thoroughly furnished unto every good work. — 2 Tim. 3: 17. 

Furthermore, it may be set down as a sure sign of evil (either 
germinating or developed), for any one to attempt to get con- 
trol of the will and mind of another — as in mesmerism, spirit- 
mediumship, hypnotism and the like. The Lord respects our 

9 



128 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

individuality and appeals to it, and urges our self-controX in 
harmony with the principles of righteousness laid down in His 
Word. But Spiritism asks an abandonment of self-control in 
favor of spirit control. No one of ordinary prudence would 
dare to give up the use and control of his mind and will to 
fellow-men, much less to unseen powers which merely profess to 
be good and great and wise. No Christian who has the slightest 
confidence in the Bible as the inspired Word of God should sub- 
mit hrmself to these influences as a "medium," or even become 
an "investigator" of that concerning which God's Word has 
given us so explicit warnings — that it is a way that leads from 
God and righteousness to sin and ruin, mental, moral and 
physical. 

One of the simple modern devices for awakening interest artd 
leading on to fuller "mediumship," "possession" and "control," 
is described in a letter received from a Christian lady, a school 
teacher in Georgia, and a deeply interested student of God's 
Plan of the Ages. The writer says: — 

"I have been having a rather strange and perhaps unwise ex- 
perience lately. My husband's brother is a Spiritualist, takes 
the Progressive (?) Thinker and is thoroughly imbued with its 
teachings, and, when I visit there, he reads articles from it and 
asks my opinion concerning them ; especially those from persons 
claiming to have received messages from 'departed friends' 
through the aid of the mediums. Now I never have thought it 
'all humbug' as many do, though there is much fraud connected 
with it — for it seems to me that the Bible plainly teaches that 
spirits have had, and will have, the power to communicate with 
men. I have told him that I believed those communications 
came from fallen angels who personated the dead for the pur- 
pose of deceiving men into believing Satan's old lie, "Thou shalt 
not surely die." But as my brother-in-law does not accept the 
Bible as the Word of God, my. opinion had little weight with 
him. His wife (who is a firm believer in Scripture Studies) 
is much troubled over his belief; and both have found their 
difference of opinion anything but pleasant, though his wife 
avoids the subject as much as possible with fidelity to the Truth. 
Some time ago he bought a Psychograph, an instrument used by 
mediums for communing with spirits, but he could not use it. 

"A few days ago it was placed in my hands, and, as I found I 
was a medium, I resolved to "try the spirits." [This is a mis- 
application of Scripture, as shown later. Editor.] About the 
first thing it said to me was that there is a valuable gold mine 
on our place : that did not surprise me, as we had been told that 
a "vein" had been traced across the place. It described the ex- 
act location to dig for it ; said it is only y]/ 2 feet below the sur- 
face. So that will not be difficult to prove. Then it gave me 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 129 

some Scripture messages, Col. 1 : 4, 5 and 2:4. I asked what 
was meant by "enticing words" and was answered, Bellamy, 
Christian Science, Spiritualism, Ingersollism, etc. I asked who 
was talking, and was told Epaphras. That did not seem to 
please my brother-in-law very much, and he said he would like 
to hear from some one we had known in the flesh, so I asked if 
such an one were present, and was told, "Yes, Eastman" (a 
stranger to me, but my brother-in-law and his wife, who alone 
were present, were both acquainted with him). When asked 
what he wished to say he cited us to Titus 3 : 5, said the doctrine 
of The Studies is true, and that his wealth had hindered him 
from gaining the prize of the high calling. 'I,' said Eastman,' 
was not thought a very good Christian, though a member of the 
church.' 

"The next day I tried the wheel, or Psychograph, again, and 
was told that a dear good friend of mine who had lived in 
speaking distance of me for several years was talking to me. 
She asked me to write to her husband and tell him that she said, 
a certain boy (giving name) was having a bad influence over 
their boy. She told me that my husband (who is in Florida) 
was hurt and was very lame, and I got a letter from him day 
before yesterday confirming it. She said she regretted that she 
had not given Scripture Studies the attention that I had 
wished her to, that she had life on the angelic plane; she also 
told me of the "mine." I asked did she know the one claiming 
to be Eastman, and she said yes, that it was a deceiving spirit 
personating him, and that I would best not make use of the 
means through which I could receive such communications. One 
claiming to bz Cephas cited me to the first chapter of Daniel. 
Another, claiming to be my father, said in substance the same. 
All said the same about the gold "mine," and all professed to 
believe in Christ and that Scripture Studies are correct ex- 
ponents of God's Word, and told me that I was failing to make 
the best use of one of my "gifts" — teaching; that I should teach 
publicly as well as individuals, but was cautioned with 1 Cor. 3 : 
7 amd Eph. 4 : 2. 

"During the little time I experimented with the instrument I 
was told many things (a few of which were not true) that 
would take too much of your time to tell you; and several of 
the 'spirits' claimed that they would heal the sick through me, 
if I would only trust them. A great deal of Scripture was given, 
and all very appropriate to those for whom it was given; but 
the Devil quoted Scripture to Christ; and I still think the same 
as I did before "trying the spirits" — only I was not sure that 
fallen angels would admit, even for the purpose of deceiving, 
that Christ had "come in the flesh" ; but it seems now they will. 
Probably 1 John 4: 1-3 refers to doctrines of men wholly. Of 



130 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

course, it would be possible for those who shall have "part in the 
first resurrection" to speak through such a device, but is it prob- 
able that they will? I will be glad to hear from you on this 
subject." 

[That passage has reference to men — doctrines among men. 
It may be remarked here that the evil spirits not only have 
knowledge of present events, but by some power can frequently 
closely approximate the future. In one instance under our 
notice two deaths within a year were foretold : one of the par- 
ties died, the other became seriously ill, but recovered. Some 
power is in Satan's hand, but with limitations. Compare Heb. 
2:14; Psa. 97:10; 116:15 and Job 2:3-6. — Editor.] 

"What experience I have had tends to confirm your teaching 
— that the communications are from the fallen angels. They are 
very unreliable. One can but feel how impossible it will be in 
these closing days of the Gospel Age for any one to "stand" who 
has not a firm foundation for faith." . 

Here is an illustration of the insidious methods of these 
demons. Like Satan and the evil spirits of our Lord's day, they 
will confess Christ and the Truth. Similarly the woman "pos- 
sessed" followed Paul and Silas several days saying truly (Acts 
16: 16-18), "These men are the servants of the most high God, 
which show unto us the way of salvation." But for that matter, 
abundant evidence could be adduced that they would confirm 
and approve almost any doctrine or theory held precious by the 
inquirer in order to gain his confidence, and thus a fuller power 
over him. 

Respecting the "mine" — that is a bait to draw and hold the 
interest. It is questionable whether the fallen angels can see 
deeper into the earth than can* mankind. Of course, it might 
happen that gold in paying quantities might be found on any 
of the gold-bearing veins of Georgia, but the experiences of 
miners in general and of drillers for petroleum who have been 
"directed by the spirits," or who have used "divining rods," has 
been that, in the end, they lost money by following such directions. 
The presumption must therefore be that, if the "lying spirits" 
are not deceiving by misrepresenting themselves as possessing 
knowledge when they have none, then the same malevolence 
which leads them as "seducing spirits" to lure mankind to moral 
and mental wreck, leads them to take pleasure in misleading 
them to financial wreck. Lying spirits, like lying men, are not 
to be believed or trusted under any circumstances. 

Concerning the advice to "teach" : coming from such a quar- 
ter, it should rather incline us to fear that the demons saw in 
the lady a weakness in that direction from which she would be 
most easily assailable. It is safe to conclude in advance that 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 131 

their advice is either directly or indirectly intended to do us 
harm. And notice the cunning which sought to guard against 
suspicion by quoting texts cautioning to humility! 

True, the people need instruction, and all instructors are 
"teachers" ; but it is very unsafe for any one to think of himself 
or herself as a teacher. The preferable plan, by far, is for each 
to be a pupil in the school of Christ, the great Teacher, and to be 
ready to learn of Him through any channel, or to be used by 
Him in helping to make plain to others His teachings. Each one 
who learns anything of the Lord should tell it to others, not as 
his own wisdom and teaching, but the Lord's, and himself merely 
the channel which gfadly passes the water of life on to others. 
No wonder the Holy Spirit cautions us, "Be not many of you 
teachers, my brethren, knowing that we "[teachers] shall have 
the greater judgment [or severer trial]." — James 3: 1. 

With the thought of teaching others is closely associated the 
thought of superior wisdom; and from the first this has been 
Satan's bait. To mother Eve his promise as the reward of 
disobedience was, "Ye shall be [wise] as gods." And the tempta- 
tion to her was that she perceived from his arguments that the 
forbidden fruit was desirable "to make one wise." Alas, the 
wisdom which Satan gives is very undesirable! It is "[1] 
earthly, [2] sensual, [3] devilish" ; as many, too late, have dis- 
covered. But on the contrary, "the wisdom which cometh down 
from above is first pure, then [2] peaceable, [3] gentle, [4] easy 
to be entreated, [5] full of mercy and good fruits, [6] without 
partiality and without hypocrisy." (Jas. 3 : 15-17.) No wonder 
the inspired Apostle said, "I fear lest by any means as the ser- 
pent beguiled Eve, by subtilty [cunning], so your minds should 
be corrupted from the simplicity [purity] that is in Christ." 
(2 Cor. II': 3.) Let us therefore lose no opportunity for telling 
the "good tidings of great joy"; — but let us lose sight of our- 
selves as teachers and point all, as brethren and fellow-pilgrims, 
to the words and example of the great Teacher and of the 
twelve inspired Apostles whom He appointed as our instructors, 
our teachers. 

We advised the Sister further, that it was very unwise to dis- 
obey the Divine instructions (Isa. 8: 19, 20) by having anything 
whatever to do with these "seducing spirits." These are not the 
spirits which we are to "try" "whether they be of God," for God 
has already forewarned us that they are not of Him, but that 
they are '"wicked spirits." As well might we use the Apostle's 
words as an excuse for trying all the various brands of intoxi- 
cating spirits to see if one could be found which would not make 
drunk. These "familiar," wicked spirits, claim that they are 
numerous, a "legion" possessing one man. They would ask no 
more than that humanity should "try" them all. A fair trial, or 



132 Life — Death — Hereafier. 

"test," is just what they request and they succeed sooner or later 
in enslaving most of those who test them. 

In the passage which says, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, 
but try the spirits whether they be of God" (i John 4: 1-6), the 
word spirits is used in the sense of teaching, or doctrine, and has 
no reference to spirit beings. This is shown by the verses fol- 
lowing, which declare that we are to "try" or discern between 
"the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." And this may be 
quickly done, for all false doctrines either directly or indirectly 
deny that "Christ died for our sins"; that "the Man Christ 
Jesus gave Himself a Ransom for all." 

Assuredly we should not expect that the Lord, nor any in 
harmony with Him, will ever make use of methods which the 
"lying spirits" use and which God in His Word has condemned 
and forbidden. To do so would expose God's people to all the 
"wiles of the Devil." 

The Sister sent us an advertisement of the Psychograph which 
says: 

"Do you wish to investigate Spiritualism? Do you wish to 
develop Mediumship? Do you desire to receive communica- 
tions ? The psychograph is an invaluable assistant. Many, who 
were not aware of their mediumistic gift, have, after a few 
sittings, been able to receive delightful messages. Many, who 
began with it as an amusing toy, found that the intelligence con- 
trolling it knew more than themselves, and became converts to 
Spiritualism." 

Thus does Satan now make use of the belief common to all 
denominations of Christians as well as heathendom, that the 
dead are not dead but are angels hovering round us; and what 
i.s more calculated to "seduce" them than just such a toy? 

By the same mail came the samples of The Progressive 
Thinker, a Spiritualist organ of the most pronounced type. We 
examined it, having in view matter for this article, and to our 
surprise found that several of its leading articles freely con- 
ceded that the vast majority of the communicating spirits are 
evil spirits which seek influence over human beings in order to 
work their ruin; and if possible to get possession of them to 
make them crazy. It told of written communications dropped 
into a room signed "Beelzebub" and "Devil." In one column 
under the caption "A Critical Study of Obsession," was an ac- 
count of a poor woman who had been so beset by evil spirits 
that she was sent to an Insane Asylum and who finally got rid 
of their torments; and it gives her statement, "I prayed them 
away." Asked, "To whom did you pray?" her recorded answer 
is, "To the Ever-living God. He only can answer prayer." And 
yet in another column God's name is blasphemed, under the cap- 
tion, "Peter and Paul," from which we quote these words — 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 133 

"Moses, who though said to be learned in all the Egyptian skill, 
was the very meanest of men, and for his God erroneously took 
Jehovah, a departed spirit of an Egyptian disappointed aspirant 
to some lucrative or ecclesiastical office." 

In the same issue, under the heading — 'Thoughts Illustrating 
the Status of Spiritualism, and the Dangers that Beset the 
Honest Investigator," by Charles Dawbran, we have a notice of 
a book by an English clergyman, entitled "The Great Secret, or 
the Modern Mystery of Spiritualism." Introducing the author 
the article says : — 

"His experiences commenced with the development of his 
wife as a writing medium, through whom, from time to time, he 
received such tests as delight the heart of the worshiper of phe- 
nomena. He also seems to have made the acquaintance of 
almost every public medium who has at any time been high 
priest or priestess of the Occult, to the worthy citizens of Lon- 
don. And he has apparently been a welcomed visitor to the 
homes and seances of every distinguished investigator or full- 
fledgeg 1 . believer in that city during the forty years of which he 
writes. He has included hypnotism in his investigations, and 
has been successful both as operator and subject. He has even 
dabbled a little in 'Black Magic,' at least sufficient to prove it a 
dread reality. So we have in this author a man most unusually 
qualified to deal intelligently with the subject. That he is now, 
and has for almost all these years been a believer is evident, for 
he narrates incidents and proofs which would carry conviction 
to every intelligent and unprejudiced mind. But his trouble has 
been that of every experienced investigator. He has not only 
witnessed much phenomena that could be explained as due 'to 
the normal or abnormal powers of the mortal, but where there 
has been an evident 'ghost' at work, mistakes, and at times 
evident fraud, have troubled his ecclesiastical soul. 

"So we have little but the usual mixed experiences of the 
average intelligent investigator. A grain of wheat to a bushel 
of chaff is claimed by the Spiritualist as abundant compensation 
for the toil and trouble of long years of waiting upon the 'dear 
spirits.' And to some minds perhaps it is. But to others there 
have ever been fierce attempts to increase the crop of truth. 
And it is herein that the experiences of this clergyman become 
interesting to every truth-lover the world over. He, as we have 
said, has had abundant experience in both public and private 
seances, but his pathway to progress seemed blocked. He was 
just as liable to the usual imperfections of spirit intercourse 
after many years of such investigation, as in the very first sit- 
tings with his own wife and a few chosen friends. 

"So the question became: 'Is progress possible?' And to 
solve this he tried an experiment which inspires the present 



134 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

writer to call this attention to his book. For as we have seen, 
the rest was what almost everybody can endorse, and say 'me 
too.' He determined to seek spirit intercourse from the highest 
plane possible to the mortal, so that if there be truth to the 
maxim 'like to like' he might attract the very highest, and repel 
those who come from the unseen to trouble and perplex weary 
mortals. He devoted a house to that purpose. Not merely were 
there rooms for use by mediums and circles of investigators or 
believers, but a chapel was prepared where he himself conducted 
a religious service twice a week, and it was at the conclusion of 
this service that a special seance was held by the believers 
present. The surroundings were most solemn. Frivolity was 
conspicuous only by its absence. The spirits had promised great 
results. For over a year at one time, and for months at others, 
these meetings were continued. But no promise was fulfilled. 
Prayers to God for light and truth proved no more efficacious 
than the eternal 'Nearer, my God, to thee' of the usual public 
seance, with its miscellaneous crowd. 

"So our poor clergyman has his one grain of wheat after 
forty years of honest attempt to make at least a pint of it. He 
clings to that atom of truth with his whole soul, but his earnest 
attempt at progress has proved a life-long failure, although, ap- 
parently, every condition was favorable to success. Since such 
is the experience of the thousands, once zealous, who have 
become 'silent' believers from the same cause, we may well ask : 
Is modern Spiritualism fixed and bounded like the theological 
systems pf the past and present? Is there no hope of solving 
its problems, overcoming its barriers, and reaching a higher 
manhood on this side of the life line? Is the honest and con- 
vinced investigator presently to become discouraged, almost as 
a matter of course?" 

The claim made by Spiritists that good spirits commune with 
good people, and evil spirits with evil people is thus disproved. 
Could stronger testimony than this be produced in evidence that 
all spirit communications are from evil spirits and are wholly 
unreliable? The writer, further on in the same Spiritist journal, 
gives the following account of the experiences of another "be- 
liever/' for which he vouches : — 

"For a score of years he had been true to his convictions, 
endeavoring to reduce all belief to a basis of provable facts. 
His own sensitiveness permitted spirit approach, and sometimes 
the heavens had seemed to open to shower blessings on his soul. 
But foes came as readily as friends whenever the gate was ajar, 
so that, for the most part, safety compelled him to avoid per- 
sonal experience of spirit return. The active mind offers poor 
foothold to any spirit, so he accepted public office and labored 
zealously for the public weal. But at intervals the experiences 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 135 

reappeared, and it seemed as if the battle had to be fought all 
over again. He failed to find a direct cause which might ac- 
count for the presence of his foes. But they seemed to have 
certain gathering points. For instance, he could rarely visit a 
public library to select a book but that he would be followed and 
annoyed for hours by some 'invisible,' seeking to control him. 
It is true, each battle, when fought to victory, was usually fol- 
lowed by a brief and happy reunion with angel friends, but the 
sense of danger made him only the more earnest to close the 
door to all spirit return. His method of fighting off the influ- 
ence was to resolutely fix his mind on some matter of interest 
in his daily affairs. And this would, sooner or later, prove suc- 
cessful every time. Any attempt to gain help from the spirit 
side of life only seemed to give added power to the foe." 

This man had evidently progressed in Spiritism so that he 
had become a "clairaudient medium." The supposed good spirits 
or "angel friends" which sometimes visited him were merely the 
same evil spirits called by the writer "foes"; but they trans- 
formed themselves to his mind by assuming an opposite attitude 
when they found him getting away from their influence — to 
keep him from abandoning them altogether, and in hope that by 
and by they would get such an influence over him that escape 
would be impossible. " 

From the same journal, under the heading, "Incidents With 
Good Advice," after giving two cases of pronounced insanity, 
the direct result of "spirit control," we find the following 
advice : — 

"The lesson I would draw is this: Never sit alone, if there is 
the least probability of the controls overcoming one's judgment. 
Even though their intentions may be good, as in Mr. B.'s case, 
yet their experience has been insufficient with regard to the 
management of mediums, and their operations may become very 
injudicious. Never permit a control to cause you to do that 
which your judgment cannot sanction, no matter under what 
promise it is given. Only evil-designing controls are liable to 
resort to such measures. 

"These cases call to mind the thought that undoubtedly there 
are many others in the asylums, who are simply the victims of 
control. I could cite another case, where during her first con- 
finement, a young woman was given chloroform and other treat- 
ment which weakened her system to such an extent that a de- 
graded spirit took hold of her organism, and the language he 
made that previously moral girl use was deplorable. Under 
these conditions she was committed to the asylum, where she is 
at present and at last reports was, at times, able to control her 
body, and, of course, at those times she was considered 'rational' 
by the authorities. 



136 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

"Let all Spiritualists be sure to caution persons who are be- 
ginning their investigation by sitting alone to be very careful — 
and to make a regular practice of reporting, so that those of 
experience may know what is taking place and advise accord- 
ingly. And further, let us make a practice of looking into all 
cases of so-called 'insanity' before they are sent to the asylums; 
perchance it may be a case like those I have cited." 

A "strong delusion," an "energy of Satan" truly, Spiritism is, 
when people with all these evidences before them still return to it 
time and again, even after being injured — as do the once singed 
summer moths to the deadly glare that fascinates them. There is 
a dense darkness in the world today upon Divine Truth; and 
thinking people, when awakened from the stupor which has so 
long benumbed their reasoning faculties, as respects religion, 
cry out for "Light, more Light" ; and if they do not get the true 
Light of the knowledge of God (which shines only for the 
honest and consecrated believer in the Ransom), they are ready 
for the false lights with which "the god of this world," Satan, 
seeks to ensnare all — Higher Criticism, otherwise called Agnos- 
ticism, or Spiritism, or Christian Science, or Theosophy. These, 
if it were possible, would deceive the "very elect" ; and are well 
represented as being Satan's ministers transformed as angels of 
light. 

Another popular Spiritualist paper is The Philosophical Jour- 
nal. It continually urges that its gospel of Spiritism be tested, 
and declares it to be the one thing the world needs; and yet it 
also admits the frauds practised by the "spirits" upon medi- 
ums. It will admit that when detected as "evil spirits," "lying 
spirits," by misrepresentation, fraud, wicked suggestions or 
works, arousing the victim to resistance or relief through prayer, 
evidently the same spirits return as moralists, with reproofs, pro- 
fessions of sympathy and promises of aid in resisting the evil 
spirits, etc., only to improve the first opportunity of weakness 
or temptation to break down all resistance of the will and obtain 
complete possession — obsession. We clip a statement in support 
of this from one of its issues, signed by A. N. Waterman, one of 
the leading Spiritualist lights. Under the caption, "Real Au- 
thorship of Spirit Communications," he says : — 

"It appears to me impossible that in this life we can know 
from whom a spiritual communication from the other world is 
made. We can have evidence, something like that which we 
possess in reference to the authorship of a telegram, but no 
more." 

Would people of "sound mind" stake their all, risk an insanity 
which according to their own accounts is manifold worse in 
torture than ordinary dementia, and spend their lives trying to 
get other people to risk their all similarly, when for it all they 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. .137 

have no more evidence than goes with a telegram ? Would they 
do so when the bitter experiences of seventy years testing had 
told them that the genuine are at most only as "one grain to a 
bushel" f 

No, no ! Only desperately deluded people would pursue such 
a course. Evidently as the Holy Spirit in men produces "the 
spirit of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7; Prov. 2:6, 7), so, on the 
other hand, the spirit of devils produces the spirit of an unsound 
mind. 

Another letter received from Florida, from a brother in 
Christ, well educated in several languages, informs us concern- 
ing some peculiar experiences recently had with these "seducing 
spirits." He became aware of the presence of invisible spirit 
beings, and they seemed to manifest a curious interest in his 
work: he was translating Studies in the Scriptures into a 
foreign language. 

Well informed along the Scriptural lines presented foregoing, 
as to who these "seducing spirits" are, he nevertheless forgot, or 
failed to heed the Divine instruction — that mankind should hold 
no communication whatever with these "lying spirits" and "have 
no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." The 
neglect of this instruction caused him serious trouble; and but 
for the interposition of Divine mercy, in response to his and our 
prayers, it might have made shipwreck of him — soul and body. 

He was allured to the conference by a mixture of curiosity 
with a benevolent desire to do them good by preaching to them 
the glorious Gospel of Divine love and mercy operating through 
Christ toward all mankind; and the eventual hope of a judg- 
ment (probationary trial) for the fallen angels, declared in the 
Scriptures. (1 Cor. 6:3.) At first they gave close attention 
and appeared to take a deep and reverent interest in the mes 1 
sage; but before long they became very "familiar" spirits, in- 
truding themselves and their questions and remarks at all times 
and places, disputing with him and with each other in a manner 
and upon topics far from edifying, so that he remonstrated. 
Finally he demanded that they depart, but having gained his 
"inner ear" (having made of him what Spiritists would term a 
" ' clairaudient medium"), they were not disposed to go, and only 
through earnest prayer was he finally delivered. He should 
have been on his guard against their seductive influences; he 
should have remembered that whatever message of grace the 
Lord may yet have for these fallen angels he has not yet sent it 
to them, and that none are authorized to speak for the Lord 
without authority. "How shall they preach except they be 
sent?" The message of salvation thus far is to mankind only; 
and even here it is limited, for although all are to be counseled 
to repent of sin and to reform, yet the Gospel of Salvation is 



138 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

restricted to repentant "believers" only — "the meek of the earth." 
Joseph Hartman has published a book of 378 pages in which 
he recounts his experiences as a Spirit-medium (led into it by 
Swedenborg's teachings), his debasement almost to the loss of 
reason by spirit obsession, and his final recovery from its en- 
snarement of his will ; but strange to say, he is still a firm be- 
liever in Swedenborgianism and Spiritism, although, like others, 
he cautions every one to be on guard against their wicked de- 
vices. Poor deluded man, he still believes that some of these 
are "good spirits" ! 

Mr. H. had come in contact with the "Planchette," a wooden 
device which holds a pencil and moves readily under the hands 
of certain mediums or "sensitives," even children, writing an- 
swers to questions propounded to it; and he had attended sev- 
eral tipping and rapping seances, and was convinced that they 
were not frauds, but the operations of invisible, intelligent 
spirits. He became actively interested while endeavoring to 
convince doubting friends of the genuineness of the manifesta- 
tions. Next he tried it in his own family and developed the fact 
that his little son was a drawing and writing medium. Next he 
was curious to investigate the phenomena of spirit materializa- 
tion. About this time his daughter "Dolly" died, and he was 
deeply interested in the apparitions or materializations which 
professed to be "Dolly." He, however, was incredulous, and in 
his own words, "gave it up under a cloud, and a suspicion of 
fraud." But after five years of experience he says : "Whatever 
doubts I may have entertained respecting the phenomena, I am 
clearly of the opinion that "honest materializations are now of 
frequent occurrence. Who the forms are, or whence derived, is 
a mooted question." We have just seen that if the manifesta- 
tions are "hottest" so far as the mediumship is concerned, they 
are frauds so far as the persons represented are concerned — 
simulations of the dead, by the fallen angels. 

Later the table-tipping and rapping and drawing and writing 
tests were revived at Mr. H/s home, two of his children becom- 
ing adept mediums, and finally, he himself became a writing 
medium, to his own surprise and without expectation or solicita- 
tion. Now he could and did hold frequent converse, supposedly, 
with his daughter "Dolly," but really with demons who person- 
ated her, and others. He was caused to smell pleasant odors, 
etc. As a later development he became a speaking medium, and 
"under control" would speak and act without his own intention 
or volition; but with full power to refuse to be a medium to 
such "spirits" as he chose to refuse, because of their former 
rudeness or obscenity. Next he was granted the "inner ear," 
"Clairaudience," or ability to hear sounds not audible to others, 
and thus to hold converse with the "spirits" without any out- 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 139 

ward agency, as writing, rapping, planchettes, ouija boards, etc. 

Of his "spirit friends" he says : "They described to me that 
their controlling circle consisted of 'twelve spiritual gifts or vir- 
tues' which composed a 'band' of very great strength; and under 
their guidance, they declared, I would become one of the great- 
est mediums ever known. I revolted — had not the least ambition 
for fame of that sort: they were the more determined." 

Thus gradually was Mr. Hartman brought, against his wish, 
more and more under the "control" of the wicked spirits who 
finally obsessed him. The next experience was with a peculiar 
clairaudient "Voice" which represented itself to be the Lord, and 
took full control of him, directing his every act. It pictured all 
his errors and weaknesses in darkest shades ; and endeavored to 
destroy all hope. He was told to pray, and when he attempted 
to pray he was given such conflicting suggestions as to words as 
made it impossible. He was fast in the snare of the "wicked 
spirits"; "possessed," and controlled by "spirit-mesmerism," as 
he calls it. 

But finally he escaped their bondage ; — a once strong will re- 
asserted itself, and he wrote the account to hinder others from 
being similarly entrapped. But he does not understand the mat- 
ter, notwithstanding his remarkable experiences. His experi- 
ences had proved that all the "spirits" which he had come in 
contact with were "wicked," lying, profane, and a majority of 
them vulgarly and disgustingly obscene; yet, believing these to 
be the spirits of dead men and women, he surmised that he had 
met a band of evil ones only, and that there were other bands of 
good, truthful and pure spirits of good people. If he had but 
known the Lord's testimony on this subject, it would have put 
the entire matter in another light. 

After gaining will-control of himself he was still attended by 
these evil spirits whose character he now fully knew ; and they 
tried repeatedly to bring his will power again under "control," 
but had no power that he would not grant. He did, however, 
grant them liberty to use his hand in writing communications, 
and in reply to his questions respecting how and why they had 
abused his confidence, lied to him, were obscene and sought to 
bind and injure him, they answered that they were constitution- 
ally and thoroughly bad and that they were "devils" — again con- 
tradicting this and declaring that they were spirits of dead 
human beings. But to confirm him in Swedenborgianism they 
told him that there were no Swedenborgians among them. And 
Hartman evidently believed these self-confessed "lying spirits," 
for he concludes his book by quoting proofs that Swedenborg had 
passed through experiences of obsession somewhat like his own. 
He quotes from Swedenborg's Diary 2957-2996 as follows : — 

"Very often when any one spoke with me, spirits spoke 



140 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

through me. . . . This occurred many times ; for instance twice 
today. I cannot enumerate the times, they are so many. . . . 
Moreover, they have laughed through me, and done many things. 
. . . These are those who introduce these things into my 
thoughts, and while I am unconscious of it, lead my hand to 
write thus." 

Hartman says of Swedenborg further: — 

"It is a matter of history that Swedenborg's maligners, not 
understanding interior temptations or spirit control, published 
that he was crazy, and that he did several foolish and insane 
things while living in London. ... He was under control of 
spirits who acted through his body, speaking through him and 
moving his body as if it were their own. . . . During a part of 
this transitional period he was unquestionably controlled by 
evil spirits. He says he had 'tremors and was shaken from head 
to foot, and thrown out of bed on his face.' ... 'I was in the 
temptation,' he says, 'thoughts invaded me that I could not con- 
trol, . . . and full liberty was given them. . . . While I had the 
most damnable thoughts, the worst that could possibly be, Jesus 
Christ was presented visibly before my internal sight.' " 

Mr. Hartman comments : — "This we believe was an evil spirit 
pretending to be Christ, as in our own case the spirit pretended 
to be God." 

To us it seems evident that Swedenborg was a spirit-medium 
and was an advance agent for promulgating and establishing 
the "doctrines of devils" respecting "seven heavens and seven 
hells," etc., etc., ad nauseam. Yet Mr. Hartman closes his book 
with a eulogy of Swedenborg, who, although admittedly pos- 
sessed of devils at times, he thinks was sometimes possessed and 
controlled by good spirits; while Hartman's own experience 
corroborated the Scriptures, that they are all "wicked," "seduc- 
ing," "lying" spirits. 

In a pamphlet entitled, "The Nature of Insanity; Its Cause 
and Cure," by J. D. Rhymus, the author shows that in many 
cases insanity is merely demoniacal possession or "obsession.'' 
He says: 

"In my own case I know that the brain was not diseased at 
all; my whole nature seemed to be intensified by conflicting 
emotions raging within my breast. I was completely enveloped 
and pervaded by thought, or in other words thought came as 
something impinged upon me, seeking expression through me, 
without being coined or generated by the action of my own 
brain, although fully conscious at the time, as I am now, that I 
possessed a strength t within me not my own will and brain 
power so-called; — yet it was so blended with, and manifested 
through my own powers of action, that I felt great exhaustion 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 141 

of nerve force, mental prostration as the conditions subsided." 

After detailing his own case and his release from the thraldom 
of evil spirits, whom he supposed to be the spirits of wicked 
dead men (apparently he also was a follower of Swedenborg), 
he quotes a letter from a Philadelphia physician, as follows : 

'The young lady to whom you refer in your letter is a Miss 

S , who was once my patient and quite intimate in my family. 

Her father was a sea captain, and was lost at sea, no one know- 
ing when or where. Her anxiety to learn something of his fate, 
led her to apply to a spirit medium. She was found to be very 
'susceptible' and a remarkable medium. She did nothing to 
encourage the approach of spirits ; but they came all the same. 
They almost tormented the life out of her for a long time — how 
long I do not remember. They often made her get out of bed 
at night and perform all sorts of grotesque antics. She finally 
drove them off by repeating the Lord's Prayer on their every 
approach. Your sincere friend, ." 

The same writer says : — 

"Judge Edmonds of New York [a noted Spiritist and both a 
Clairvoyant and Clairaudient medium — now deceased], has re- 
cently expressed the opinion that many so-called lunatics in 
asylums are only under the influence of spirits." The Judge 
himself said: 'Some fifteen cases of insanity, or rather obses- 
sion, I have been instrumental in curing. This I said to the 
Academy of Science, in New York.' 

"The Judge has had Catholic priests, after a thorough trial of 
their 'holy water and prayers,' send [to him] their mediumistic 
members when wickedly disordered, to be demagnetized and re- 
leased from the grasp of obsessional spirits." 

Few are aware to what extent Spiritism is now active; how 
it is gradually reviving. Here is an account of Dr. Peebles' visit 
to Melbourne, Australia. He writes to The Philadelphia Jour- 
nal as follows : — 

"Although I had come for a rest, I was immediately pressed 
into active service, and have been lecturing every Sunday eve- 
ning either in the Masonic hall (which seats 1300) or the 
Lyceum (700), both of them being filled at times to overflowing. 
I have also spoken in the Unitarian and Swedenborgian 
churches, and the Australian (Presbyterian) church, on vege- 
tarianism and other reform subjects. 

"Several mediums speak about coming to Australia. Before 
leaving, let me tell you that the Melbourne press says there are 
already 500 mediums in the city and suburbs, while others say 
200, but I see none who compare with Mrs. Freitag, and others. 
I cannot, conscientiously, encourage mediums to come to Aus- 
tralia, unless they are absolutely first-class test mediums. That's 



142 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

what the people clamor for — tests, tests, tests. Old bald headed 
Spiritualists, who had tests years ago, want them renewed, and 
so seek for tests instead of going on to a higher plane of har- 
mony, beauty and spiritual truth, becoming their own mediums." 

Yes; the tests — rapping, writing, table-tipping, and even ma- 
terialization tests — are only the beginnings of Spiritism, and not 
the desired ends sought by the spirits. The end sought is pos- 
session, "obsession" ; and those who by strong self-control con- 
stantly resist absolute spirit-control are used as "test mediums," 
to catch others, and to exhort others, as above, to go "on to a 
higher plane of harmony," with lying, seducing, enslaving and 
demonizing spirits. 

An English journal called Black and White gave a detailed 
and illustrated account of apparitions in the town of Tilly-sur- 
Seulles, Normandy, France. It said that the apparitions were 
of the Virgin Mary and had continued for several months, and 
were thoroughly vouched for. It adds : — 

"The appearances, which seldom or never resemble each other 
even to the same voyants, always either ascend from the earth, 
as in the case of those of the Witch of Endor, or appear grad- 
ually bit by bit, first a leg, then an arm, and so on, at a slight 
elevation. All this is very queer reading. 

"The trampled field of oats, the elm tree stripped of its 
branches by relic-hunters, the torn hedge protected by barbed 
wire and decorated with statues, pictures, rosaries, pots of 
flowers and votive tapers, remain to testify to a belief in the 
supernatural not less strong than it was in mediaeval times." 

Black and White, after quoting from the Croix du Calvados 
(the official organ of the Roman Catholic Bishop of the diocese), 
that, "Although it cannot doubt the fact of the appearances, it is 
inclined more and more to attribute them to diabolic interven- 
tion," adds: — 

"If anything, this is calculated to lend them still greater in- 
terest in the eyes of the world, which shows itself especially 
ready to dabble in Satanism, crystal-gazing, astrology, theoso- 
phy, spiritualism and magic, both black and white. The chief 
points in favor of this clerical decision seem to be that one 
Vintras, who lived in an old mill, still standing on the banks of 
the Seulles, below the older village of Tilly, prophesied these 
apparitions about the year '30. Vintras was condemned as a 
sorcerer and incarcerated at Caen by request of Pope Gregory 
XVI. He claimed to have been 'inspired' by the Archangel 
Michael. Curiously enough, another 'prophet/ claiming to be 
inspired by another Archangel — Gabriel, to wit — namely, Mile. 
Cuedon, who made a stir in Paris, and whom a certain Abbe 
declared to be 'possessed' rather than 'inspired,' prophesied these 
same apparitions at Tilly a fortnight before they began." 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 143 

Satan's motto seems to be, Anything to deceive and bewilder 
humanity and to hinder the truth now due to them from reach- 
ing them. From an English Spiritist journal Light, we quote a 
statement of a seance, as follows: 

"At a sitting which was being held one evening at the invita- 
tion of a mother who had just lost a dearly loved son, amongst 
other phenomena a remarkable light was seen. It was in the 
form of a beautiful radiant globe, the center of which was a 
bright blue of great brilliancy. It was apparently an immeas- 
urable distance away, the wall of the room offering no obstruc- 
tion to those who watched it, and it remained for about half an 
hour, when it gradually faded from their sight. 

"All present were filled with a sense of deep reverence and 
veneration. The control [i. e., the spirit controlling the medium] 
explained that this was indeed the Light of Christ, who, in veri- 
fication of the belief which is now very generally held by Chris- 
tians of every denomination, is gradually approaching this 
earth; and in fulfilment of His words, spoken nearly two thou- 
sand years ago, is coming to establish His Kingdom, the reign 
of universal love and brotherhood, amongst us. 

"The control further said : 'Write thus to the editor of Light. 
Tell him that light is coming to all men. It grows brighter day 
by day. This light is the Light that should lighten all men that 
come into the world. Love is embodied in it. Truth is bringing 
it. Wisdom teaches it. Faith reveals it. Hope nourishes it. 
Justice craves for it. Glory attends it. Peace claims it. Power 
waits for it. This remarkable light is attended by hosts of 
angels; by dwellers in the spheres of the Blest; by mighty con- 
querors; by those whose sins, being scarlet, now shine radiant 
in this Light; — Perfected good, perfected man, perfected light. 

"Beautiful angels surrounded the medium. The Light ap- 
peared behind her ; but she was pleased to know that the great- 
est glory shone when she spoke of Christ's power. Although 
not herself viewing the greatest glory of the Light she saw it, 
far, far away, having a star-like radiance." 

Just as at His first advent the evil spirits acknowledged Jesus, 
saying, "We know Thee, who Thou art" ; "What have we to do 
with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God?" and as they testified of 
the Apostles: "These be the servants of the Most High God 
which show unto us the way of eternal life"; so today, as we 
have seen, some of them will testify occasionally to the Truth, 
commend Studies in the Scriptures, etc.; but it is safe to 
assume that it is all for a purpose, as a "bait" for those who are 
interested or seeking light along these lines, to eventually lead 
them off into some gross darkness. Let us constantly remember 
that these deceptions will become so bold, and be apparently so 

10 



144 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

backed by advanced truth that they will, "if it were possible, 
deceive the very elect." — Matt. 24 : 24-26. 

Under such circumstances there is but one safe course. It is 
not to stand still with closed eyes, panic-stricken : that will be 
impossible, very soon. It is to fully accept Christ Jesus the 
Redeemer, the Ransomer of the race, as your Savior and your 
Teacher, and to be controlled only by His Spirit of Truth ex- 
pressed to man through His Word — the Bible. So doing you 
will be kept by the power of God from all the snares of the 
wicked one; for the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation 
to every one that [obediently] believeth." 

To what great dangers the people of Christendom are exposed 
we may judge when we remember that nearly all are laboring 
under the delusion of Satan, first enunciated to Mother Eve irt 
Eden — to her deception and fall. He then said, "Ye shall not 
surely die." He has kept up his side of the controversy since 
then, and the majority of God's people believe Satan's statement 
and disbelieve the Lord's Word; — holding that no one really 
dies, but that when death apparently takes place the person is 
thereby made "more alive than ever." Believing that none are 
really dead, we cannot wonder that Christendom totally rejects 
the Bible doctrine that the only hope for a future life rests in 
God's promise of a "resurrection of the dead," and makes non- 
sense of it by claiming that it is merely a resurrection of the 
body that died — which the Apostle declares will never be resur- 
rected — but a new body be substituted when the soul, the being 
is resurrected. — 1 Cor. 15: 12-18 and 36-38. 

In evidence of the dangers along this line we note the fact 
that The Ram's Horn, a radical orthodox journal of Chicago, 
published on its outside cover a colored engraving representing 
a Christian mother with clasped hands, praying beside a little 
grave decorated with flowers, while just before her is shown the 
shadowy outline of her child approaching her. The editor of 
The Ram's Horn and his readers are like all other nominal 
Christians who neglect the teachings of God's Word on this 
subject — just ready for Satan's delusions to ensnare them. 

Note also the following, clipped from The Philosophical Jour- 
nal (Spiritualist). Under the caption "Progressive Thought," 
the editor quotes from Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage as follows : 

"Even Talmage progressed from the old faith, and believed 
in the return of the spirit to this world of ours after death. He 
preached a sermon at Washington on the 'Celestial World,' 
showing the employment of 'the departed' in that state of exist- 
ence. In answer to the question : 'What are the departed doing 
now ?' he said : 'That question is more easily answered than you 
might suppose,' and added : 

" 'Their hand has forgotten its cunning, but the spirit has 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 145 

faculties as far superior to four fingers and a thumb as the su- 
pernatural is superior to the human. The reason that God took 
away their eye and their hand and their brain, was that He 
might give them something more limber, more wieldy, more 
skillful, more multipliant/ 

"Dr. Talmage said that the spirits, freed from the material 
body, are 'more limber, more skillful/ and 'are at their old 
business yet,' but with vastly improved faculties. He argued 
it thus: — 

" 'Have you any idea that that affluence of faculty at death 
collapsed and perished? Why so, when there is more for them 
to look at, and they have keener appreciation of the beautiful, 
and they stand amid the very looms where the sunsets and the 
rainbows and the spring mornings are woven. 

M 'Are you so obtuse as to suppose that because the painter 
drops his easel and the sculptor his chisel, and the engraver his 
knife, that therefore that taste, which he was enlarging or in- 
tensifying for forty or fifty years, is entirely obliterated? 

' 'These artists, or friends of art, on earth worked in coarse 
material and with imperfect brain and with frail hand. Now 
they have carried their art into larger liberties and into wider 
circumferences. 

' 'They are at their old business yet, but without the fatigues, 
without the limitations, without the hindrances of the terrestrial 
studio.' 

"In answer to the question as to what the physicians are do- 
ing, since they passed to 'the beyond/ he said they are busy at 
their old business, and added : 

" 'No sickness in heaven, but plenty of sickness on earth, 
plenty of wounds in the different parts of God's dominion to be 
healed and to be medicated. Those glorious souls are coming 
down, not in. lazy doctor's gig, but with lightning locomotion. 

" 'You cannot understand why that patient got well after all 
the skillful doctors had said he must die. Perhaps Abercrombie 
touched him. I should not wonder if he had been back again to 
see some of his old patients. Those who had their joy in healing 
the sickness and the woes of earth, gone up to heaven are come 
forth again for benignant medicament/ 

"Then he propounded another question, as to what all the 
departed are doing now — who in earth-life were 'busy, and 
found their chief joy in doing good.' He replied: 'They are 
going right on with the work — John Howard visiting dungeons; 
the dead women of Northern and Southern battlefields still 
abroad looking for the wounded ; George Peabody still watching 
the poor; Thomas Clarkson still looking after the enslaved — all 
of those who did good ou earth, busier since death than before. 
The tombstone is not the terminus, but the starting-post/ 



146 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

"He then concluded with this very emphatic language: — 
' 'To show you that your departed friends are more alive than 
they ever were ; to make you homesick for heaven ; to give you 
an enlarged view of the glories to be revealed, I have preached 
this sermon.' 

"Without the slightest doubt, then, Dr. DeWitt Talmage was 
a Spiritualist. He did not claim that cognomen, but he taught 
the grand tenets of our philosophy and admitted the consequent 
phenomena of the return of the spirit to visit mortals — spirit 
physicians to touch those given up to die by mortal physicians, 
and to heal them — to visit those in dungeons in order to relieve 
their distress — to watch the poor — to look after the enslaved — . 
and in this work to be 'busier since death than before !' 

"If 'the departed are more alive than they ever were' — as Dr. 
Talmage affrmed in his closing remarks — then it is evident that 
he was correct in saying that 'the tombstone is not the terminus, 
but the starting-post' — the 'door' to the higher life, the entrance 
to the state of endless labor, grand possibilities, and eternal pro- 
gression. 

"If Dr. Talmage thought more of these grand truths than of 
his clerical standing, he would have frankly avowed himself a 
Spiritualist. 

"All the churches are rapidly becoming permeated with Spir- 
itual philosophy, and soon must either add to their structural 
confession these grand and inspiring verities, or sink into ob- 
livion in the twentieth century, when the cycle of evolution shall 
be completely rounded out." 

Who can deny the logic of the Spiritualist editor in claiming 
Dr. Talmage as a Spiritualist, who refrained from fully ac- 
knowledging his identity? Who can doubt that the hundreds 
of thousands who read that discourse in the many journals 
which published Dr. Talmage's discourses regularly, accepted 
every item of its poisonous, unscriptural suggestion as gospel; 
because in full accord with what they had been taught from 
other pulpits, and especially at funeral services ? Alas ! the 
millions of Christendom are ready, ripe, for the evil work of 
these seducing spirits, and are accepting it. 

Note the following hand-bill announcement of Spiritist per- 
formances and tests, given at Muskegon, Michigan. It is in 
display type and illustrated etchings showing shadowy forms, 
etc. — and was sent to us through the Lord's providence just in 
time for a notice here. It reads thus: — 

"Opera House, under the auspices of the Religio-Philosophical 
Society of Boston, Mass. 

"Spirit materializations, marvelous superhuman visions, Spir- 
itualistic rappings, slate writing, floating tables and'chairs, re- 
markable tests of the human mind, a human being isolated from 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 147 

surrounding objects floating in mid air. Behold the marvels of 
today ! Reflect on the one great question of the hour : Is there 
a spirit land? and what is the destiny of man? Do you want to 
be convinced that there is a hereafter? Do you believe in im- 
mortality? Do you believe in a soul world? or do you believe 
that death ends all ? 

"Dr. Loyd Cooke, preeminently peer of spirit mediums, as- 
sisted by a number of mediums of note, on the open stage, will 
produce some of the most wonderful materializations ever wit- 
nessed in this country. 

"The following are some of the tests that usually take place 
in the presence of these mediums : A table rises 4 to 5 feet and 
floats in mid-air. Spirit hands and faces are plainly seen and 
recognized by their friends. A guitar is played and passed 
around the room by the invisible power. Flowers are brought 
and passed to the audience by hands plainly seen. Bells are 
rung, harps are played, and other tests of a startling nature take 
place in the presence of these wonderful mediums, if the condi- 
tions are strictly complied with. 

"A night of wonderful manifestations ! The veil drawn so 
that all may have an insight into the spirit world and behold 
many things that are strange and startling. 

"The clergy, the press, learned synods and councils, sage 
philosophers and scientists; in fact, the whole world, has pro- 
claimed these philosophical idealisms to be an astounding fact. 
You are brought face to face with the spirits. A large piano is 
played upon without a living soul touching it. And many spirit 
forms upon the stage — sometimes eight or ten at a time — are 
proof positive of the genuineness of these mediums. They have 
been three years developing for the special purpose of demon- 
strating the facts of spirit power in full gas light ! 

"The invisible powers are constantly producing new and 
startling manifestations to convert the skeptical and strengthen 
the believer. Come and see for yourself. Take no one's word. 
Investigate and believe your own eyes. Be guided by your own 
reason. Believe nothing you hear ! Every man and woman has 
a right to see and think. 

"Many ask: Ts there any truth in Spiritualism?' If you 
should attend this seance with these new mediums, you would 
never doubt again that the spirits do re-visit the earth, and can 
be seen and recognized by their friends. They will stand beside 
you and shake hands with any one who will ask them. Remem- 
ber, this seance is not like others you have attended. The forms 
seen here are not afraid of you, but will come so close to you 
that you cannot doubt their identity, and will satisfy you that 
they are not flesh of this earth. No one who has ever attended 
these seances can doubt the genuineness of these mediums. Re- 



148 Life— Death— Hereafter. 

member, these are newly developed mediums, just arrived at this 
place, and are recognized by all that have seen them to have the 
most powerful circle that has ever been brought to this country. 
Not in darkness, but in open light. You feel their touch. You 
see their disembodied forms. In plain, open light ! Every pos- 
sible means will be used to enlighten the auditors as to whether 
these so called wonders are enacted through the aid of spirits 
or are the result of natural agencies. 

"Committees will be selected by the audience to assist, and 
to report their views as to the why and wherefore of the many 
very strange things that will be shown during the evening. This 
is done so that every person attending may learn the truth re- 
garding the tests, whether they are genuine or caused by ex- 
pert trickery. Doors open at 7.15. Commences at 8. A small 
admission will be charged." 

Finding that Churchianity is popular, and a certain amount 
of formalism demanded by the people they seek to ensnare, 
Spiritists are organizing "churches" for the "worship" and 
"praise" of the "All Good" — the name they use instead of God. 
But since advanced Spiritists do not believe in a personal God 
this name merely represents to them — all good spirits, among 
whom they reckon Thomas Paine, Shakespeare, Judas and Nero, 
as well as Christ, Confucius and Buddha. In these "churches" 
— "Spiritualist," "Theosophical," and "Christian Scientist," all 
of the same cult, and all guided (unknown to many of their vo- 
taries) by the same master spirit — Satan — the preachers and 
evangelists are generally women: in marked contrast (what- 
ever the explanation) with the course pursued by the true Head 
of the one and only true Church, our Lord Jesus, who appointed 
twelve Apostles and seventy evangelists, all of them men. 

The newspapers gave an account of a Spiritist baptism serv- 
ice, at the "First Church of Spiritualists," Pittsburgh, by Mrs. 
Ida Whitlock, of Boston, as follows : — 

"When the babies' parents and godmothers had been assem- 
bled, deacons of the church brought out a long flower-decked 
rope, which they tied about the participants in the ceremony. 
Mrs. Whitlock gave each baby a "small bunch of carnations, 
handing them from a silver bowl. Having completed this cere- 
mony, Mrs. Whitlock took another silver bowl, and, advancing 
to each baby, she dipped into the bowl a rose and sprinkled the 
faces of those to be baptized, saying as she did so, T, Ida Whit- 
lock, by a power commissioned to me, do baptize thee, Anna 
Marie Klotz, in the name of the All Good.' " 

The power commissioned to Mrs. Whitlock was certainly not 
from the Father, nor from the Son, nor by the Holy Spirit; and 
we feel confident it was from the one who backs all the tests and 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 149 

tricks and lies and obsessions — "Your Adversary the Devil." — 
1 Pet. 5 : 8. 

A Mr. Thori of St. Paul, Minn., once sent us the card of a 
Dr. Snyder of that city, who styled himself a Christian Spirit- 
ualist and claimed that he and others there held regular seances 
in which the Lord as a spirit being showed Himself to their mor- 
tal eyes. He said that about forty persons there had seen these 
manifestations. Three of them received "the communion" direct 
from the Lord's hand. The card received bore sixteen texts 
from the Bible, among which were the following: — 

"God is a spirit." 

"I am the light of the world." 

"He that keepeth My commandments, he 'it is that loveth Me; 
and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father; and I will 
love him, and will manifest myself to him." — John 14: 21. 

In large type at the head of the card, were these words : — 
"have you seen the lord? if not, why not?" 

This Mr. Thori remarked that the Doctor appeared to be very 
pious, and professed faith in the Ransom and in restitution. The 
incident at once reminded Mr. Thori of the statement of 
Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. II, page 158, which reads as 
follows : — 

• "Among other such things some of them even teach that 
Christ is present, and we doubt not ere long they will give 
seances at which they will claim to show Him 'in the secret 
chamber.'" (Matt. 24:26.) Then Mr. T. called the Doctor's 
attention to this Scripture and this application of it ; but he was 
so enamored by the seducing spirits that he could make no appli- 
cation of it to his own experiences. He declared that it re- 
ferred to such preposterous frauds as Schweinfurth. 

Here we see more of Satan's policy: he works one fraud 
against another. A few weak-minded people are deluded into 
thinking and claiming that they are "some great one" — Christs, 
etc. — and by hypnotic powers deluding a few into their "heav- 
ens," thus disgust more sensible people, who, believing that these 
frauds fulfil the scope of our Lord's warning, are off guard 
against the much more subtle deceptions of Spiritism which 
draw nearer and nearer daily. 

Then again, true to his character as a deceiver, Satan begins 
all such performances with the outwardly devout. He puts a 
bait on his hook when he fishes for men. It will he found that 
self-willed Christians, no matter what their morals or faith, will 
be subject to snares of the great enemy. The full submission of 
the will to the will of God as expressed in His Word is abso- 
lutely necessary to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil. 

We will no doubt surprise some when we state that to our 
understanding "Christian Science," "Theosophy," "Mesmerism," 



150 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

"Clairvoyance" and "Hypnotism," as well as "Swedenborgian- 
ism," are all related to Spiritism, and designed by the "seducing 
spirits" to enthral and "pass along" the various classes of man- 
kind who are now awakening out of mental lethargy; and to 
blind their eyes to the truth respecting the Lord and His Word. 
— 2 Cor. 4:4. 

"Christian Science," by its attractive but deceptive name, no 
less than by its lying proposition that there is no pain, no sick- 
ness, no death, no sin, no devil, no Savior — nor need of any — by 
the very absurdity of its claims attracts the curious; and by its 
seeming harmlessness and "good works" ensnares the unguarded 
and uninstructed, who do not know "the depths of Satan." 
(Rev. 2:24.) Their processes for treatment of "imagined" 
diseases seem harmless, but are their cures therefore less of the 
demons and more of God than those of Spiritualists? While a 
pure faith in the first principles of the doctrines of Christ is not 
to be accepted as instead of good morals, the latter are never- 
theless to be considered as concomitants to every manifestation 
of Divine favor and power. All, therefore, who deny our Lord 
Jesus as the Redeemer of mankind "who gave His life a 
Ransom-price for many," are not of God, and their "wonderful 
works," whether good or bad, are not to be credited to Divine 
power. 

It may be questioned by some whether Satan and his asso- 
ciates can be charged on the one hand with causing sickness 
and death (Heb. 2: 14), and on the other hand with healing the 
sick and casting out devils. Would not this seem to be an oppo- 
sition to his own kingdom not supposable of any intelligent 
being? "If Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; 
how shall then his kingdom stand?" — Matt. 12:25, 26; Mark 
3 : 24-26. 

Very true ; and this shows to what straits "the prince of this 
world" is reduced by the great increase of intelligence shining 
in upon the world during the .past century. The demons must 
sham to be "angels of light," teachers of advanced truths and 
good physicians, both of souls and bodies, in order to reensnare 
those who are feeling after God, if haply they might find Him. 
(Acts 17: 27.) The words of inspiration give us to understand 
that Satan's struggles to retain control of mankind will be spe- 
cially desperate at its close — before he is "bound" for the thou- 
sand years that he may deceive the nations no more. — Rev. 20:1. 

Here will be one of the "strong delusions" mentioned by the 
Apostle Paul, to cope with which God's people will have need of 
"the whole armor of God" that they "may be able to stand in 
this evil day." (2 Thess. 2: 9-12; Eph. 6: n-13.) We are now 
in the period of which he cautions us to be specially on guard 
against "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." ( 1 Tim, 4 ; 1.) 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 151 

Here the Apostle Peter tells us to '"beware lest ye also being led 
away [seduced] by the error of the wicked [one] fall from your 
own steadfastness." (2 Pet. 3: 17.) Hence the Lord tells us 
to watch and pray to escape the delusions which will be so 
strong as to "deceive if it were possible the very elect." (Matt. 
24: 24.) Shall we, in view of these warnings, expect no "strong 
delusions," deceptions from the wicked spirits? Nay; we ex- 
pect far more during the next few years than even Spiritists 
have dreamed of hitherto. 

But if Satan and his, faithful have a knowledge of curative 
agencies and skill in their application let us not forget that he 
has great malific power also. This has already been demon- 
strated. Take the case of Jannes and Jambres, the celebrated 
mediums and magicians of Egypt, who in the presence of 
Pharaoh duplicated many of the miracles performed by Divine 
power through Moses and Aaron. They could transform their 
rods into serpents; they also turned water into blood; they 
also produced frogs, although they could not duplicate the 
plagues of lice, etc. — Exod. 7: 11, 22; 8:7. 

We have every reason to believe that the fallen spirits have 
learned considerable during the past four thousand years and 
that they have a much wider range of power today. We are in- 
clined to believe that the grasshopper plagues and the multitudi- 
nous farmer-pests and the spores and microbes of disease that 
are afflicting human and animal life in recent times, may be 
manifestations of the same power for evil. Similarly Satan is 
"the prince of the power of the air," and is malevolent enough 
to exercise his powers to the extent of Divine permission. This 
might account in part for the great floods, cyclones and torna- 
does of recent years. 

But surely such forces of nature are not left in the charge of 
demons ? some one inquires. 

Not entirely — most assuredly not; otherwise we may doubt 
if the world would be at all habitable. Take the case of Job: 
as soon as Divine restraints upon Satan were released, he moved 
the Sabeans to steal Job's cattle and to kill his servants; he 
caused fire to come down from heaven, which not only killed 
but burned up Job's flocks of sheep ; he sent the Chaldeans who 
stole Job's camels, and finally produced a cyclone which smote 
the house in which Job's children were feasting together, and 
destroyed the house and killed its occupants; and he attacked 
Job's person with disease as soon as granted permission. — Job 
1:9-2:7. 

There* is no question that Satan and his legions are as able 
and as willing as ever to do all the mischief that Divine Wisdom 
may see fit to permit them to do. It only remains, therefore, to 
notice that God has not only foretold that He will permit them 



152 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

to have great power in the end of this Age, but also why He 
does so. He tells us that He is about to "pour out His indigna- 
tion, even all His fierce anger," upon the world of mankind, as a 
chastisement for sin and for a correction toward righteousness ; 
to humble mankind and to prepare them for the blessings of the 
Millennial Kingdom. All are familiar with the plagues foretold 
in the book of Revelation to be poured upon the world in the 
end and judgment of this Age. Of these the plagues upon 
Egypt were illustrations — even though these "last" plagues be 
described in symbols. But let us always remember God's care 
over His people to preserve them from every calamity which 
would not under Divine supervision work out for them some 
valuable lesson or experience; and let us remember that He is 
able and willing to overrule the wrath of men and of devils and 
to restrain the remainder that would hinder His grand purposes. 

The following words of Rev. A. B. Simpson some years ago 
are quite to the point: — 

"The healing of diseases is also said to follow the practices of 
Spiritualism, and Animal Magnetism, Clairvoyance, etc. We 
will not deny that while some of the manifestations of Spiritual- 
ism are undoubted frauds, there are many that are unquestion- 
ably supernatural, and are produced by forces for which Phys- 
ical Science has no explanation. It is no use to try to meet this 
terrific monster of Spiritualism, in which, as Joseph Cook says, 
is, perhaps, the great if of our immediate future in England 
and America, with the hasty and shallow denial of the facts, or 
their explanation as tricks of legerdemain. They are often un- 
doubtedly real and superhuman. They are 'the spirits of devils 
working miracles,' gathering men for Armageddon. They are 
the revived forces of the Egyptian magicians, the Grecian 
oracles, the Roman haruspices, the Indian medicine-men. They 
are not divine, they are less than omnipotent, but they are more 
than human. Our Lord has expressly warned us of them, and 
told us to test them, not by their power, but by their fruits, their 
holiness, humility and homage to the name of Jesus and the 
Word of God; and their very existence renders it the more im- 
perative that we should be able to present against them — like the 
rod of Moses which swallowed the magicians', and at last 
silenced their limited power — the living forces of a holy Chris- 
tianity." 

In conclusion let Spiritual Israel hear the Word of the Lord 
to fleshly Israel : — 

"When thou art come into the land which the Lord Jhy God 
giveth thee, thou shall not learn to do after the abominations 
of those nations. There shall not be found among you any 
one that . . . useth divination, or an observer of times, or an 
enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar 






Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 153 

spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these 
things are an abomination unto the Lord; and because of these 
abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before 
thee." — Deut. 18:9-12. 

"When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have 
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter : Should 
not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living 
should they seek unto the dead ? To the law and the testimony : 
if they speak not according" to this word, it is because there is 
no light in them." — Isa. 8 : 19, 20. 

The Scriptures expressly show that the fallen spirits would be 
held under restraint for a long time, and that those restraints 
would gradually be relaxed in the closing of this Gospel Age, in 
the lapping of the Millennial Age. The record is that they were 
''restrained [in Tartarus, our atmosphere] in lasting chains of 
darkness unto the Judgment of the Great Day." (Jude 6; 2 Pet. 
2:4.) As now the "Great Day" is here, it is not surprising to 
watchers to note that the chains are being gradually loosened, 
and that these "wicked spirits" have greater liberties than ever 
before. 

There is still danger to those who "don't believe in spirits," 
and who regard as superstitious the Bible narratives of how our 
Lord and the Apostles cast out demons, and how all wizards, 
witches, necromancers and others who proposed to hold inter- 
course with the dead were strictly prohibited in Israel. There is 
more danger to the self-confident, who "dare investigate any- 
thing," and who boast "a mind of their own," than to the hum- 
bler ones who say, "Let us fear to tamper with what God has 
forbidden." To many of the boldly self-confident curiosity is 
the demons* trap. Before they are aware of it they are snared. 
The beginning of the trap is a bait to curiosity — a visit to a 
"medium," "a seance" with friends, or a "planchette" or an 
"ouija board" at a neighbor's home. 

The Scriptures forewarn us that we are no match intellec- 
tually for the wicked spirits, and need to give heed to the pro- 
tections afforded us in the counsels of the Lord's Word. In the 
end of the Jewish Age many were afflicted with evil spirits, and 
a considerable part of our Lord's work and of His representa- 
tives was referred to by the Seventy when reporting to our 
Lord — "Even the demons are subject unto us in Thy name." 
(Luke 10: 17.) So prominent is this matter in the four Gospels 
that they contain forty-two references to these demons — mis- 
translated "devils" in our Common Version. 

The Apostle points out that in the end of this Age the Lord 
will "send," or permit to come, upon Christendom, "strong delu- 
sions," that they may believe a lie — that they all may be con- 
demned. (2 Thess. 2; il f 12.) Thank God, we see clearly that 



154 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

they will not be condemned to everlasting torture. Oh, no! 
That blasphemous misrepresentation of God's Word is one of 
the devices of these "wicked spirits," by which they would drive 
men away from God, by which they would blind them to His 
real character. But we are now in the close of the "Harvest," 
and the wheat must be separated from the tares, and these 
"strong delusions" will be permitted to demonstrate who have 
loved and obeyed the Lord's counsel and who, not doing this, 
are to be adjudged unworthy of the high rewards soon to be 
given to the "overcomers." 

The context shows this, declaring in so many words that the 
"delusions" will ensnare them because "they received not the 
truth in the love of it !" The "truth" is that the dead are dead, 
and cannot re-live except by Divine power exercised for their 
awakening from this death-sleep. This plain truth, so abun- 
dantly set forth in the Scriptures, is not relished by any except 
the truth-hungry. Others tell us that they do not like to believe 
thus ; that they prefer to think of the dead as not being dead, 
but more alive than ever. Rejecting the plain truth as God pre- 
sented it, and preferring Satan's lie, "Ye shall not surely die" 
(Gen. 3:4), these are easy marks for the demons who are con- 
stantly striving to perpetuate the lie which deceived Mother Eve 
in Eden. They will now be permitted to personate the dead so 
successfully as to be a "strong delusion," which "if it were pos- 
sible [if the Lord did not protect them by the 'armor of God'] 
would deceive the very elect." — Matt. 24 : 24. 

Spiritism cunningly feigns, for a time, that its manifestations 
are the exercise of human powers. Thus it gains access to the 
hearts of men and women who dread demonism instinctively. 
Gradually, however, it comes to be conceded that the spirits are 
at the bottom of these powers, which are at least partially 
"occult." For years we have been almost alone in opposing 
hypnotism, telepathy, etc., as Spiritism in a new form ; but now 
no less a celebrity than Professor J. H. Hyslop, formerly 
"Teacher of Logic and Ethics" in Columbia University, and a 
leading light in The American Society for Psychical Research, 
conceded that spirits have to do with such matters — not demons, 
but in his supposition "spirits of dead humans." 

Professor Hyslop was quoted in the New York American 
thus : — 

"Telepathy is not a matter of thought waves. The solution is 
so simple as to be astounding. Messages are carried from mind 
to mind by the spirits. Mediumistic qualities are necessary, but, 
possessed of these and able to get in touch with the spirit world, 
telepathy should become as easy of accomplishment as the tele- 
graphing of a message with wires. 

"None but scientists should tamper with the weird phenomena 






Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 155 

of nature represented by telepathy," said Dr. Hyslop. "Every 
investigation should be made sanely and every experiment 
approached with a mind clear, impartial and prepared to weigh 
and balance every fact as carefully as though it were a pre- 
cious gem. 

"Our experiments in telepathy I regard as convincing if not 
wholly satisfactory in number or in the ability to repeat them 
at will. 

"In these experiments we used Mrs. Piper, who was sent to 
England in care of the British Society. She was allowed to 
come into contact with no one not in league with the persons 
making the experiments. We began our experiments in long 
distance telepathy in the hope of eventually getting a message 
across the Atlantic, but failed time after time. 

"Finally we scored a success. It was as remarkable as it was 
unexpected. The message was sent across the ocean in a way 
to demonstrate perfectly the possibilities of long distance telepa- 
thy. The experiment was conducted in a manner to eliminate 
any trace of fraud or deception. It was sent in English and 
delivered in Latin." 

In an article over his own signature in the New York World, 
Professor Hyslop said : 

"That there would be great difficulties in communicating, if 
spirits actually exist, would naturally be taken for granted by 
intelligent people. The silence of so many discarnate spirits 
through the ages, if they exist, would be sufficient proof of that 
fact, as well as what we know of the difficulty of communica- 
tions between living people, when they have no common lan- 
guage as a means of it. But there happen to be additional rea- 
sons for this difficulty, and they should be mentioned in order 
that the layman (we ought not to mention it to the scientist) . 
may see and appreciate the reasons why the communications 
take the form which they show. The first of these is the abnor- 
mal mental and physical condition of the medium, specifically to 
illustrate, as in the case of Mrs. Piper. But this is not the chief 
reason that the communications are trivial and confused, or 
lacking in the kind of information wanted. The reason for these 
characteristics is deeper still. It is that the communicator is 
himself in an abnormal mental condition while communicating. 
It may be compared to a delirious dream, or to certain types of 
secondary personality in the living, or even to the trance of Mrs. 
Piper, in some of its aspects." 

Rev. I. K. Funk, D.D., of New York City, the widely known 
Lutheran minister, had some thrilling experiences with spirits 
and published them to the world, asserting, however, what even 
Spiritualists will admit, that some of the so-called manifesta- 
tions are frauds; that others are by deceiving or "lying spirits." 



156 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

His investigations, like those of Professor Hyslop, show the 
trend of our times, and give a hint of what we may expect when 
shortly the whole world will turn to the investigation of Spir- 
itism as "the only proof that the dead are not dead." 

"Discussing psychical science in an address tonight before the 
American Institute for Scientific Research in the home of C. 
Griswold Bourne, the Rev. R. Heber Newton made the assertion 
that the spirits of the dead communicate with the living; that 
telepathy is a power possessed by many men and women, and 
that clairvoyance is an established scientific fact. Said he in 
part : 'Clairvoyance was nothing but a will o' the wisp, but it is 
now a confessed power of certain organizations. Mollie 
Fancher, over in Brooklyn, has proved stronger than the incre- 
dulity of our savants. The belief in the existence of unseen 
spirits and of their power of communication with us in the flesh 
is one of the oldest, most widespread and most insistent beliefs 
of man, and it has revived strangely in our day. 

" 'For the first time in the history of man these powers have 
been scientifically investigated in our day. Already the result is 
that a considerable number of eminent men of science have had 
the courage to avow that, after allowing for illusion, fraud and 
every possible hypothesis of interpretation, they have been 
driven up to the ultimate solution of the problem — the belief in 
the actual communication of the spirits of those whom we call 
dead with the living. 

" 'Anyone who walks with his eyes open, ready to hear what 
men have to tell, will find stories pouring in upon him from men 
whom he cannot mistrust as liars, and whom he knows to be sane 
and sensible, which will stagger him. These experiences are not 
at all confined to the seance and the medium. Their most im- 
pressive forms occur in the privacy of the home without a pro- 
fessional medium present.' " — Pittsburgh Gazette. 

It does not surprise us that Spiritism, like Christian Science, 
is aiming for the influential. Whatever else the fallen angels 
may be they are "wily," cunning. The Lord's people, on the 
contrary, number "not many wise, not many great, not' many 
learned, not many rich, not many noble, but chiefly the poor of 
this world, rich in faith." — Jas. 2 : 5. 

A lady who had been a Spiritist, tells of how she developed 
the "clairaudient ear," or the power of hearing the spirits when 
others heard nothing. (And, by the way, all should avoid every- 
thing of this kind as they would avoid a plague; they should, if 
approached thus, at once turn their hearts to the Lord in prayer 
for aid to resist the intrusion.) This woman's relatives have 
been interested for some years in Present Truth, and pointed 
out to her that her communings were not with dead friends, but 
with the fallen angels, •"demons," and finally got her to the point 






Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 157 

of reading "Studies in the Scriptures." This displeased the 
"spirits," who for a time almost prevented her study by an in- 
cessant opposition, such as "Don't read that," "That's not true," 
etc., etc. Gradually she asserted her will, calling on the Lord 
for help, and we understand that now she is quite free from 
their intrusions. 

Another case which came to our attention was that of a boy 
of 19 years, in Eastern Pennsylvania, who was terribly op- 
pressed by demons. One of the Lord's people, hearing of the 
case, called to see him, taking a copy of the Spiritism pamphlet. 
Its presence so aggravated the boy that it had to be removed 
before the brother could talk to the possessed one. The spirits 
having him under their control nearly set him wild until the 
book was removed. "The darkness hateth the light." We do 
not doubt that these evil spirits would do injury to the servants 
of the Truth if permitted. Evidently they are under some 
restraint as respects the Lord's people. Later on they may be 
permitted to operate through others, as Satan entered into Judas 
before the betrayal. 

The following from an exchange, The Prophetic News, may 
serve to further emphasize the foregoing : 

"I was induced to yield my hand to be controlled by a spirit, 
in consequence of reading what Mr. Stead wrote in the Review 
of Review's about Spirit-Writing. Thus was the first step taken 
on this forbidden yet fascinating course. I look back on that 
first step and remember that I never uttered, in the perplexity 
that filled my mind, a prayer to God. I should have at once 
sought the guidance of God. Before I thought of so doing, I 
was seized with the desire to seek this newly-found source of 
help. I fear much I am not alone in being foolishly misguided 
by the perusal of spiritualistic literature which is now being cir- 
culated far and wide in England. 

"The spirit that came and offered me his aid forbade my pray- 
ing to God, assigning as a reason that I was now under special 
heavenly guidance, superseding the need of prayer, and that my 
heavenly inheritance was sure. That was strange counsel, and 
it was still stranger that I should have for one moment harbored 
it ; but harbor it I did. 

"But, in addition, this messenger of Satan forbade my study 
of the Scriptures, for I had lately commenced a methodical read- 
ing thereof. The reason given for this on the part of my evil 
counsellor was that the work I was now under so strong an obli- 
gation to execute, was so urgent that no time could be spared for 
other mental occupation. 

"Under the pretense of aiding me I was now 'interviewed' by 
other spirits, who declared themselves to be the spirits of de- 
parted mortals. One assumed the character of what I might 



158 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

call ultra piety, and warned me from coming into association 
with and under the influence of a certain minister of the Gospel 
residing in the neighborhood — one who would certainly have 
counselled me in my perplexed state of mind with wisdom — but 
against him my 'interviewer' uttered base slanders. This spirit 
hindered me greatly by making long discourses. 

"Another spirit declared himself to have been the former 
English ambassador to the nation of these persecuted Christians 
concerning whose distressing condition my heart was bleeding; 
and in language befitting a statesman he related his remarkable 
experience in the executing of his ambassadorial office. Then 
he desired my work to take a form which I subsequently found 
to be the worst under the circumstances, and that I should com- 
municate it to an important public functionary. This was so 
opposed to my judgment that I could not yield assent to it. 

"After this the first spirit that came to me under the garb of 
a guardian angel declared that the spirit of my beloved mother 
had been permitted to visit me for a few minutes, and that she 
entreated me to transmit a message to a relative residing abroad, 
and that, though I was ignorant of the purport of this message, 
she would herself guide my pen in writing it down. I took the 
pen into my hand, holding it loosely for her to guide it. A strong 
wish came upon me to see my mother's form. Then, to my great 
astonishment, her portrait was instantaneously and with con- 
summate skill drawn on the paper before me. I now watched 
with breathless interest the writing of the message. It was 
traced in her well-known (to me) handwriting. Only two words 
were written, but they were written three times. The words 
written, with tremulous haste and urgency, were save souls, and 
with a quick movement the pen was made to drop. 

"Such a message from such a source smote my heart with its 
deep solemnity. But I could not bring myself to send the mes- 
sage. I felt it would be wrong to send it. The relative for 
whom it was intended was already engaged in Christian mission 
work, and somehow I shrank from bringing on his mind the in- 
fluence of a message from whence I hardly knew. I felt a total 
disinclination for any further communications from spirits, and 
I determined to receive no more from so dubious a source. But 
T was not to be so easily disentangled from this net into which in 
an evil moment I had deliberately placed my feet. 

"In disgust, and as if to take a plunge out of the vortex into 
which I had been stealthily drawn, I threw into the fire the por- 
trait of my mother and all the spirit-writing. I would not be- 
lieve that the spirit of that dear Christian — my mother — was 
wandering on this earth in company with others who gave me 
such disastrous counsels, and failed in their promise to strengthen 
and aid me. I even came to the conclusion that these spirits had 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 159 

attempted an impersonation of that departed saint, and had 
written that solemn message in order to induce me to believe in 
their celestial character and the sanctity of their intentions, that 
I might be induced to follow their perilous injunctions. 

"To justify their proceedings they were apt in misquoting 
Scripture. There was a terrible mystery in this, and it filled me 
with dire forebodings. I then said to myself, half aloud, 'Can it 
be possible that there are evil spirits who have power to com- 
municate with mortals and deceive them?' 

"A spirit answered, 'Yes,' and added that they themselves 
would now act evilly towards me and that I was in their power 
to be punished, since I had sought to obtain knowledge forbidden 
to mortals. 

"With this startling declaration they changed their character 
and conduct to me. 

"I now believed that I had committed a sin in consulting 
them ; but it was done in ignorance (it was a culpable ignorance, 
nevertheless) and with innocent intent. Surely I could trust in 
Divine mercy to pardon me. 

"But the spirit answered my thought by declaring that the 
Divine mercy should not reach me, but that he would accuse me 
before the Recording* Angel of this deadly sin — intercourse with 
spirits — and would call for immediate judgment ! 

"Let it be remembered that these very spirits by their lying 
deception had induced me to cease from. prayer and the study of 
Scripture, and had declared that my heavenly inheritance was 
sure. They left me to execute their threat. 

"Soon after this a remarkable vision appeared by the per- 
mitted instrumentality of these tormentors. One night the wall 
at the end of my room seemed to vanish, and a large open space 
appeared. At one side was a dais with steps which appeared to 
lead up to an exalted throne, half hidden by clouds. Before the 
dais a number of celestial beings stood in a semi-circle, and, 
apart from the rest, at the foot of the dais, was a terrible form. 
I knew this was the 'Prince of Darkness,' and I instinctively felt 
he was there as my accuser, and I seemed to have no advocate. 
This terrible vision at first seemed a confirmation of the spirit's 
threat, yet there was one essential difference. It was not, as 
they said, an avenging angel, but Satan, who accused me. I 
wanted to reflect on this vision and the new conditions environ- 
ing me, but spirit voices continually interrupted me, so that I 
could neither think nor pray, but only repeat to myself some 
such words as 'O Lord, in Thee have I trusted ; let me never be 
confounded.' 

"I could not stop their verbal communications, their small but 
intensely clear voices followed me everywhere. 

"The spirits told me that the torments of hell, in which I had 

11 



160 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

not believed, awaited me, and that in the internal fires of the 
earth souls were in torment; and that the intensity of the pun- 
ishment was proportioned to the guilt of the offender. They 
declared that I should know by experience the reality of eternal 
punishment that very night. The fact that I was still in mortal 
flesh would not impede them; there appeared to be some truth 
in their threat that they could cause death — or rather, the cessa- 
tion of mortal existence, for they gave me an immediate and 
startling demonstration of their power in causing violent spasms 
and palpitations of the heart, while I was quite calm in mind. 
Indeed my imperturbable calmness caused them to remark that 
I was one of the bravest of mortals, but they would yet over- 
come me with greater terrors. But I ultimately found that they 
possessed no supreme power over the 'King of Terrors.' They 
then left me, and in the darkness and the silence of the night I 
waited, expectantly, believing that a terrible ordeal awaited me, 
for I knew that my enemies were powerful and malignant. 

"The wall of my room again seemed to disappear, and I was 
conscious that a spirit had entered and touched me, and a voice 
declared that he who had entered was an administrator of jus- 
tice in the infernal regions. He demanded of me if I knew why 
he had been summoned to me. 

"I replied that I only knew that my enemies accused me, and 
that if he was the servant of God I desired him to tell me what 
was the will of God that I should now do, for I desired only to 
know, and do that will. 

"He answered in some such words as these : 'You are free ; 
you cannot come within my province. I only punish those who 
will not obey God, and now I leave you.' 

"I was inexpressibly thankful to be delivered from such 
threatening peril, and that a powerful spirit had acknowledged 
that Divine Power overruled in hell, and that he acted in sub- 
serviance to it. 

"All these spiritualistic manifestations were far from being 
the phantasmagoria of dream or fancy; they too evidently be- 
longed to the stern and abiding realities of life. They were 
manifestations of that great, and potent, and eternal realm of 
spiritual power which mortal vision may not yet behold. 
Throughout this ordeal I was calm, and possessed that intensifi- 
cation of consciousness that is aroused by tragic circumstances. 

"I resolved that as I had encountered these unique and tragic 
conditions not from personal needs or seeking personal aims, 
the result of this experience should also have a wider range of 
influence. 

"I had more to learn and to endure. I was even to learn that 
my deliverance from the power of demons, like my faith, was 
of an imperfect character. 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 161 

"The remainder of the night I passed in peace. In the morn- 
ing I recommenced the study of Holy Scripture; it became to 
me the most important concern of my life. 

"But to my great distress the evil spirits immediately returned 
to me with ceaseless interruptions to prevent my study. They 
determined to keep me from the knowledge of a full deliverance. 

"Thy compelled me to listen to their account of an insurrec- 
tion on earth against Divine power which they had long been 
planning, but which was ere long to be carried out. They as- 
serted that their mighty potentate and chief had obtained the 
vicegerency of earth, that he was the prince of this world, and 
that he would subjugate it as it never yet had been subjugated 
to his control, and that he would raise a storm of persecution 
against the followers of Christ. There was, in fact, to be a new 
putting forth of hellish influence upon the earth. 

"I was compelled to hear from these spirits the unfolding of 
their diabolical scheme. They brought many proofs to substan- 
tiate the fact that their power on earth was already greatly in- 
creased and was increasing. The prospects, therefore, that 
seemed in store for the world overwhelmed me with dismay. 
They asserted that their great potentate — 'the god of this world' 
(Satan) — had so subverted Christendom that at least the great 
ecclesiastical systems known as the Roman, Greek and Anglican 
Churches would more entirely be subservient to him. I was in- 
clined to disbelieve their statements. I wished that they could 
have been disproved, but facts appeared to corroborate them. 
I then for the first time observed that the Church of Rome was 
gaining great power, and as for the Greek Church in Russia, it 
was then inflicting terrible persecutions on the true followers of 
Christ — Christians — who would not practise idolatry. 

"It was now made apparent to me that these spirits who had 
hypocritically proffered their aid for the persecuted Christians 
had themselves instigated idolatrous Churchmen to persecute 
them. I gathered further that the servants of the great poten- 
tate of darkness had sown error and discord freely in the other 
churches in Christendom, and that these would advance in error 
and in distance from God ; that they had power to distract the 
attention and to deaden the perceptions of men who otherwise 
would arrest the progress of evil. 

"The spirits then spoke with sardonic triumph of their school 
of materialistic philosophy and their teaching on Cosmogony as 
opposing that of the Book of Genesis — a system that modern 
science has found so acceptable as appearing to fit in with what 
the bowels of the earth have displayed, but which entirely leaves 
out of its thoughts the operation of God's hand in judgment at 
the fall of man, when not only man was morally and physically 
ruined, but that which was once pronounced Very good' fell 



1 62 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

with the first man, so that the 'whole creation' — material and 
immaterial — groans for deliverance. 

"A spirit calling himself Lord Beaconsfield declared that he 
would aid me by dictating a work of fiction that should surpass 
all his earthly efforts and would produce a small fortune for me, 
and that I should thus obtain the reputation of being a great 
genius by simply acting as his amanuensis, and he added the 
more alluring temptation to me — that the spirits could and 
would confer on me such knowledge and power that I myself 
should be considered by the world as a brilliant writer, and win 
fame and fortune. 

"Perhaps his offer has been made to and accepted by some of 
our present writers of brilliant but pernicious fiction, especially 
those who have popularized and dignified Satan himself; some 
of whom I know are students of Occultism. 

"One spirit professed to be the originator of such systems as 
Theosophy and Agnosticism. They had previously declared that 
'thought-reading' was under their domination and effected by 
them. I gathered, generally, though it was not very clearly ex- 
pressed, that mesmerism and hypnotism were likewise agencies 
in their hands. 

"And now, as another confirmation of the ascendancy the 
spirits still had over me, they fulfilled their previous threat to 
call blaspheming demons to madden me. At their bidding these 
base spirits came and uttered horrible blasphemies until it 
seemed as if all hell was let loose upon me for a little "while. 
Then the spirits used one last awful device to overthrow me, 
and nearly succeeded. ' 

"In the midst of all these difficulties and dangers by which I 
was well-nigh overwhelmed, a commanding voice from an in- 
visible spirit called me, saying words to this effect, 'That I had 
become so environed and besieged by evil spirits that there was 
no deliverance for me on earth, and that he — an angel of the 
Lord — had descended from heaven to bear me this command 
from the Lord Jesus — that I must die by my own hand to * escape 
my persecutors, and that my soul should then find rest in 
heaven.' I had so strong a desire for life that nothing less than 
a Divine command, as I believed it, could have induced me to 
take my life. 

"I did not question the words proceeding evidently from so 
high an authority. I could not conceive it possible that the 
spirits' would command mortals to die by using the sacred name 
of Christ. Yet it was the device of the Devil and I fell into it. 

"I was perfectly calm in my mind and determined I would 
obey the Divine command, and trust in the Lord. Then, in the 
last prayer I thought to breathe on earth, I protested to the 
Almighty that I took my life believing I was acting at the bid- 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 163 

ding of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thereupon I drank a poisonous 
draft and quickly fell into a comatose state, but I did not awake 
in hell or in heaven, for I was allowed to recover, though only 
after much difficulty and suffering. 

"But whilst I was recovering, the inexorable voice repeated 
the previous message, upon which I seized an instrument; the 
only instrument at hand was a very small dagger, with which, 
having failed to cut my throat, I severed the temporal artery. 
Determined to make death swift and sure this time, I endeav- 
ored to cut another artery, and with the blood streaming from 
my head I fell to the ground insensible. 

"Again the spirits were foiled in their intention. The noise 
of my fall instantly brought assistance, and I recovered. My 
recovery was, I might almost say, a miracle. I am convinced 
that God did in a very remarkable way interpose His healing 
hand that I might be physically healed. 

"But above all I was delivered from the tormenting presence 
and persecution of these demons. Christ, who when on earth 
healed those who were demonized, and 'healed all that were op- 
pressed of the devil,' mercifully healed me; He commanded 
them to leave me. I recognized the supreme need of a Re- 
deemer. I believed His Word that 'No man cometh unto the 
Father but by Me, and he that cometh unto Me I will in no wise 
cast out.' I knew of the Blood. of Jesus which cleanses from all 
sin — of that one offering perfected on the Cross by which Christ 
has perfected His believing people. This blessed knowledge 
dawned upon my soul despite all the efforts of the powers of 
darkness to prevent me from obtaining it. 

"I beg every reader of this to fly from Spiritualism. Do not 
play with tools such as 'Planchette,' 'thought-reading,' 'Ouija 
boards,' etc. I feel that my life has been preserved that I might 
use this personal experience and knowledge of Satanic power 
that I have passed through, and witness against the snares of 
Spiritualism, declare its Satanic nature, and the potency of 
Christ as a Deliverer from it." 

The above shows something of the ingenuity and versatility of 
the demons. To some, on the contrary, they report that there 
is no hell. To Swendenborg they gave visions of seven hells and 
seven heavens, which helped him frame a new religion to entrap 
honest souls. How evidently we all need to "hold fast the faith- 
ful Word." The Apostle forewarned us we should specially 
need this "armor" as the "evil day" draws on. 

"For this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are 
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, 
but live according to God in the spirit." (1 Pet. 4:6.) No 
Bible topic requires more careful discrimination in its study 
than does the subject of death. This is mainly because of the 



164 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

general confusion of mind which came upon Christendom during 
the long centuries of the Church's comparative darkness, when 
Bibles (the Lamp of God upon the Christian path), were scarce, 
and when few could read the truths of priceless value, that were 
chained to lecterns. In consequence of this confusion we hear 
intelligent people talk ignorantly and stupidly respecting death. 
They make confusion worse confounded by telling us of Adam's 
spiritual death and discussing "natural" death and "the death 
that never dies," etc., etc. 

To get the Bible view of death we need to brush away such 
foolish babblings and confine ourselves to Bible language and 
the rational thought connected therewith. For instance, accord- 
ing to the Bible, there is no "natural death" — it is not natural 
for man to die. It is according to the Bible arrangement and 
man's nature that he, as well as angels, should live — live eter- 
nally, if obedient to the Divine commands. Death, therefore, is 
the unnatural thing! Do we think of angels as dying, and of 
Heaven as filled with cemeteries ? Have they doctors and under- 
takers there? Surely not! Yet it would be just as proper to 
speak of natural death amongst the angels as in respect to men. 
But neither is proper. 

The term spiritual death so frequently used respecting Adam 
and his fall is wholly unscriptural. No such expression is found 
in the Bible; neither such a thought. Adam could not die a 
spiritual death, because he was not a spirit being. He was an 
earthly being — not an angel, but a man. As the Scriptures de- 
clare of Adam, "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels ; 
and crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over 
the works of Thy hands" ; "over the beasts of the field, the fish 
of the sea and the fowl of the air." — Het* 2:j; Psa. 8 : 5-8. 

From the moment of disobedience and Divine condemnation 
Adam and his race have been judicially dead and gradually 
going down, down, down, in degradation and into the tomb. 

Speaking of the dying race from the judicial standpoint our 
Savior called them all dead. He declared that none has even a 
reckoned life, except such as by faith accept Him as their Life- 
giver — Savior. His words are, "He that hath the Son hath life; 
he that hath not the Son shall not see life." Speaking to one 
who believed on Him the Savior said, "Let the dead bury their 
dead" ; go thou and preach the Gospel. (Matt. 8 : 22.) From the 
right standpoint His meaning is evident. Let the dead, the con- 
demned and legally dead world, look out for its own affairs. 
You become one of My followers and carry My message of life 
and love to as many as have ears to hear ! 

Consider now in the light of the foregoing, the meaning of 
St. Peter's words in 1 Peter 4 : 6. We perceive how the Gospel 
message from first to last has been preached to a dead world — 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 165 

to a world under sentence of death — to a world "dead in 
trespasses and in sin" and unworthy of Divine notice. Jesus, 
during His ministry, preached the Gospel amongst those judi- 
cially dead through trespasses and sins. A few had the hearing 
ear and accepted the good Message and gave their hearts to God 
and accepted the terms of discipleship — to walk in the Master's 
footsteps in the Narrow Way faithfully unto death — willingly 
offering, sacrincially, their little all in the service of God, His 
Truth, His righteousness, His people. These few, as we have 
seen, the Savior recognized as having life — as having "passed 
from death unto life." 

By and by when all eyes and ears of understanding shall be 
opened and the blessing of the Lord through Messiah shall be 
world-wide, it will not be merely a calling to righteousness that 
will be extended. A command will be enforced by disciplines, 
"stripes," "corrections in righteousness," to the intent that the 
dead world in general may be blessed and be resurrected — lifted 
up, up, up, out of sin and death conditions to the human perfec- 
tion bestowed upon Adam and his race in creation. Only the 
unwilling and disobedient will die the Second Death, from which 
there will be no redemption, no resurrection. 

"Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the un- 
just, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the 
flesh, but quickened in the spirit, by which [two experiences — 
death and resurrection] He preached unto the spirits in prison." 
(1 Pet. 3: 18, 19.) This text has been made the basis for some 
peculiar presentations. From it some have deduced an inter- 
mediate state lasting between death and the resurrection. Others 
have claimed it as an authority for the doctrine of Purgatory. 
The difficulty in every case seems to be the failure to remember 
that the Bible always and everywhere teaches that the dead are 
really dead, that they know nothing, and that, therefore, it would 
be impossible to do any preaching to the dead humans. Un- 
doubtedly the theory that people are more alive after they die 
than when they were alive, is responsible for nearly all the fool- 
ish things which we have all at some time professed to believe. 

Before dismissing the thought that these "spirits in prison" 
are human spirits, let us note the fact that to say, "human 
spirits," is an absurdity of itself, because human beings are not 
spirits, and- spirit beings are not humans. "Who maketh His 
angels spirits" is the Scriptural proposition. True, we do some- 
times speak of humans as possessing a spirit of life, but by 
this we merely mean that they possess the power or energy of 
life, and the same would be equally true of the lower orders of 
creation, beasts, fish, fowl, etc. 

Again, we sometimes speak of the Church as spirit beings — 
begotten of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Apostle speaks of the 



166 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

natural man in contrast with the New Creature, a spirit being. 
To appreciate this statement we must remember that the Church 
class receives the begetting of the Holy Spirit to the end that, 
if faithful, they may attain unto a spirit resurrection and be- 
come spirit beings, like unto the angels and like to the Re- 
deemer. But we are not spirits yet, except by faith — by hope. 
However, the context shows that the Apostle had no reference 
to the Church, either; we were not in prison* we received the 
Message of salvation through the Apostles. 

The spirits to whom the message was given had proven them- 
selves disobedient, says St. Peter. He even tells us the time of 
their disobedience; namely, that it was "in the days of Noah, 
while the ark was preparing." Surely, if noticing these par- 
ticulars mentioned in the context, no one would be excusable 
for misunderstanding this Scripture and considering it in any 
way applicable to humanity in general. However, it is helpful 
to us to learn the full particulars of the matter. What was 
their disobedience, and when and how were they imprisoned? 

Turning to Gen. 6: 1-5, we find there the cause of the dis- 
obedience of those angels, who for a time had been permitted 
to see what they could do for the uplift of humanity, or, rather, 
permitted to demonstrate that the downward tendency of sin 
is incurable except in the manner which God has already ar- 
ranged for through Messiah and His glorious reign of a thou- 
sand years. 

Instead of those angels helping mankind out of sin they 
helped themselves into sin, and by so doing they increased the 
depravity amongst humanity, until the astounding record is that 
"the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every 
imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil contin- 
ually." The particular sin of those angels was that when they 
were granted the privilege of materializing — of taking human 
bodies for the sake of helping and instructing mankind — they 
misused this power and took to themselves the daughters of men 
for wives. 

Thus these angels came gradually to prefer to live as men 
amongst men, and to rear earthly families, rather than to abide 
in the condition in which they were created — spirit beings, 
higher than humans. Not only was this wrong in the sense that 
it was taking a course in opposition to the Divine arrangement, 
but it was wrong also because the thing was done for the culti- 
vation and gratification of lust, and it led to their own moral 
defilement as well as having a baneful influence upon humanity ; 
for we can readily see that for the angels, of superior powers 
and intelligence, to become leaders in lustful practices would 
mean a great influence upon mankind toward sin and defilement 
of mind and body. 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 167 

We are particularly told that the offspring of this improper 
union between the angels and the daughters of men were giants, 
both physically and mentally superior to the fallen human family 
— "men of renown." And this statement, that they were "men 
of renown," was at a time when manhood's estate was reached 
at a hundred years, and implies that God did not interfere to 
hinder or stop the progress of sin for perhaps several centuries. 
In the meantime the race had become so corrupt that apparently 
only Noah and his family were uncontaminated — all others had 
more or less come under the. influence, directly or indirectly, of 
these fallen angels or their giant sons. Hence, of Noah it was 
written (not that he was a perfect man, but), "Now Noah was 
perfect in his generation" (uncontaminated) and his family ap- 
parently the same. Hence these alone were saved in the ark, 
while all the remainder, more or less contaminated, were de- 
stroyed by the flood. 

It was then and there that God imprisoned those spirits, an- 
gels, who kept not their first estate, and are, therefore, called 
fallen angels, devils, demons. They w r ere not imprisoned in 
some far-off world called hell, nor are they engaged there in 
stoking fires for the torture of poor humanity. Following the 
leading of the Scriptures we find that when the flood came they 
were not destroyed, because, while their fleshly bodies which 
they assumed might indeed perish, yet they would merely dema- 
terialize, or assume their spirit conditions again. 

The record is that God cast them down, that He condemned 
them to an overthrow — that they might not any longer associate 
with the holy angels, but must be reserved in tartarus — our 
earth's atmosphere. Here they were imprisoned, not in a special 
place, but in the sense of having their liberties restrained, "in 
chains of darkness." They were no longer permitted to mate-, 
rialize, and thus to associate with humanity. These things are 
distinctly told us by St. Jude and St. Peter (Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2 : 4, 
5) — an explanation in full harmony with the Genesis account of 
their fall. 

We, of course, cannot know that all of those fallen angels are 
still in a disloyal condition of heart. On the contrary, in har- 
mony with our text, we may suppose that some of these fallen 
angels have since repented of their wrong course, and it would 
be none too strong a way to state the matter — that any such re- 
pentant ones would surely have terrible experiences as a result. 
To be obliged to be in close touch and relationship with the 
more evil and malignant ones, and to have knowledge of all 
their evil designs and efforts, would be a terrible experience, 
and, besides this, we may be sure that the rebellious would not 
hesitate to persecute the repentant ones in every conceivable 
manner, as they would be lawless, regardless of the Divine will. 



168 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

On the other hand, the repentant ones would be obliged to re- 
strain themselves and to not render evil for evil, knowing that 
this would be contrary to the Divine will. In other words, re- 
pentant ones amongst those fallen spirits, influenced by the 
preaching of Jesus, or otherwise, would have a kind of purga- 
torial experience, and the very thought calls forth our sympathy. 

When imprisoned or cut off from the privilege of materializa- 
tion, many of the fallen spirits, we know not what proportion, 
continued their active opposition to God, after the manner of 
Satan. Hence they are spoken of as his angels, his messengers, 
his servants, and he is spoken of as Beelzebub, the Prince of 
Demons. Satan, who sinned much earlier than the others, and 
in a different way, the Scriptures tell us was an angel of a 
higher' rank, or a higher nature, and this superiority of his has 
made him the Prince or ruler over the hosts of fallen spirits. 

The fight of Satan and his fallen angels is against God, 
against all who are in harmony with Him, against all the regu- 
lations of righteousness, and against all the channels and serv- 
ants whom the Lord may use. St. Paul's words along this line 
are forceful; he remarks that God's people contend not merely 
"with flesh and blood," but also "with wicked spirits in high 
positions/' and the question arises, "Who is sufficient for these 
things?" The reply is that none is sufficient; without the aid 
of the Redeemer His Church would be quite overcome and van- 
quished by evil. 

Likewise, without the Redeemer's aid through His Kingdom, 
without the binding of Satan, without our Lord's releasing of 
the world from the bondage of sin and death, there would be no 
hope of the world's recovery from its present bondage. But 
with the Apostle we exclaim, "If God be for us, who can be 
against us?" — Rom. 8: 31. 

Satan's original plan of attack was to bring our race under 
his influence by misrepresentation — by putting darkness for light 
and light for darkness — for instance, the temptation under 
which Mother Eve fell. Satan there represented himself as 
Eve's friend, giving her sound advice. He represented God as 
having a selfish motive behind His command that our first par- 
ents should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and 
evil. Satan declared that God had told an untruth when He 
said that the penalty for sin would be death. Satan declared 
that man cannot die. 

And has he not since kept up the same line of falsification? 
And has he not deceived the whole world upon this very subject? 
Do not all peoples in every land believe that when a man dies he 
does not die, but gets more alive — exactly Satan's lie of the first 
instance? How few have believed God, even amongst His 



Spiritism Ancient and Modern. 169 

people who truly love Him, and who truly desire to believe the 
teachings of His Word ! We have all been under a kind of 
''hoodoo. " "The god of this world [Satan] hath blinded" our 
minds on this subject. We are now coming to see that death is 
the penalty for sin, and that the resurrection is the salvation 
which God has promised and will provide. 

Satan has had powerful allies and servants in the fallen an- 
gels, and it is through their persistence that his lie has triumphed 
over the Divine Word of Truth — "Dying, thou shalt die." These 
fallen spirits have made various manifestations in every land 
for centuries, and thereby have apparently substantiated the 
theory that a dead man is more alive than when he was alive. 
Knowing that mankind would have nothing to do with them if 
their real personality were known, they hide their personality, 
and represent themselves as our dead friends who desire to 
speak with us, either directly or through mediums. 

A further desire of these angels is to obsess or to get posses- 
sion of a human being. Being chained, or restrained in the 
privilege of materialization, the next most desirable thing, in 
their estimation, is to gain control over a human being, and to 
use his body instead of their own. This is styled obsession, and 
persons so afflicted today are sent to an insane asylum, where, it 
is estimated, they constitute at least one-half of the entire num- 
ber. In the days of our Lord these were not mistakenly sup- 
posed to be insane, but rightly declared to be obsessed. All re- 
member the New Testament account that our Savior and His 
Apostles cast out fallen spirits from humanity. 

We need not discuss this question with Bible students, for it is 
too well recognized to be disputed. We suggest a topical study 
of this subject by all of our readers. See how many times 
Jesus and the Apostles cast out demons, and note the particulars. 
Although we still have with us spirit mediums, and many ob- 
sessed, we cannot know whether the proportionate number is 
greater or fewer than in our Lord's day. Since the world's 
population today is so much larger, the same number of evil 
spirits (which do not increase) would show proportionately less. 
But, however that may be, we may assume that some fruitage 
resulted from the great sermons preached to these in connection 
with the death and resurrection of our Lord, respecting which 
St. Peter speaks. (1 Pet. 3:18, 19.) Additionally, St. Paul 
remarks, "Know ye not that the saints shall judge angels?" 
(1 Cor. 6:3.) We do know that the holy angels need no judg- 
ing, no trial, hence the Apostle must in some way refer to a trial 
or judgment or testing of these spirits in prison who were once 
disobedient, in the days of Noah. And if the judgment or test- 
ing is a part of the Divine Plan, it implies a hope for them, and 
in conjunction with St. Peter's statement in our text it gives the 



170 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

reasonable inference that the preaching which Jesus did to them 
was not wholly in vain. 

Here arises another question: If Jesus was really dead, as 
the Scriptures declare, if "He poured out His soul unto death," 
and "made His soul an offering for sin," and His soul was not 
raised from the dead until the third day after His crucifixion, 
how could He in the meantime preach to spirits in prison, or to 
anybody else ? We reply that He could preach in the same way 
that the Apostle refers to, saying, "He, being dead, yet speak- 
eth" (Heb. 11:4); an d again, in the same way that the blood 
of Abel is said to have cried to God — figuratively. Of one thing 
we are sure, namely, that Jesus gave no oral address while He 
was dead. He preached in the way we sometimes refer- to when 
we say, "Actions §peak louder than words." 

It was the great object lesson which the fallen angels saw 
that constituted to them the great sermon that gave them a 
ground for hope. On several occasions the fallen spirits, when 
commanded to come out of human beings, declared that they 
knew Jesus. In the long ago they had known Him, when, as the 
Only Begotten of the Father, and His Representative, He had 
created them and all things that are made, and was also the 
Mouthpiece for all Divine orders and regulations. They real- 
ized that He had come into the world to be its Redeemer ; they 
perceived the great stoop that He had made from His lofty posi- 
tion on the heavenly plane to the servant position on the human 
plane. *They admired His loyalty and faithfulness to God, but 
doubtless believed Him to be foolish ; they never expected Him 
to rise from the dead. But when they perceived His resurrection 
on the third day, to glory, honor and immortality, "far above 
angels, principalities and powers and every name that is named," 
His sermon to them was complete, namely, that "the wages of 
sin is death," but that "the gift of God is eternal life." (Rom. 
6:23.) And as they realized thus the power of God and the 
love of God for His human creatures, the Apostle's words imply 
that this constituted to them a message of hope. Perhaps if 
they would show full contrition God eventually would v have 
mercy upon them, even as He had had mercy and had provided 
for humanity. 

The lesson is one for all. God's power is Infinite, so is His 
love, His mercy, His goodness. Nevertheless, every wilful sin 
will have its punishment, a just recompense of reward, and only 
the willing and obedient shall have the Divine favor and ever- 
lasting life. Let each apply the lesson to himself. 



CHAPTER VII 
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD 

Resurrection Rarely Chosen Now as a Subject for Sermons. — To Many 
Death Has Become a Delusion, and Not a Reality. — "Consistency, Thou 
Art a Jewel." — The Man of 50 Would Be Sadly Handicapped. — The Scrip- 
tures Hold Out the Only Hope, the Blessed Hope, the Consistent Hope. — 
Which Shall We Believe — God or Satan? — The Apostle Preached Jesus 
and the Resurrection. — The Five Senses in Full Accord with the Scrip- 
tures. — "As Dieth the One, So Dieth the Other; They Have All One 
Breath." — "Jesus Died, the Just for the Unjust." — The Prison-House of 
Death to Be Opened and the Prisoners Set Free. — "Blessed and Holy Are 
They Who Have Part in the First Resurrection." — The General Resur- 
rection to Be a Raising Up by Judgment. — The Condition of the Dead 
Spoken of as a Sleep. — "Thou Sowest Not That Body Which Shall Be." — 
God's Omnipotence and Wisdom Will Be Exhibited. 

"He preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection." {Acts 17: 
18.) "And when they heard of the Resurrection of the dead some 
mocked." {Acts 17 : 32.) "If there be no Resurrection of the dead, 
. . . then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain; . . . then 
is not Christ raised, and . . . ye are yet in your sins. Then they also 
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished!'— I Cor. 15: 13-18. 

"Vl/'HEN we remember that the word "resurrection" is used 
* * no less than thirty-seven times in the New Testament, 
besides various other words of similar import; and when we 
remember that all the prominent creeds of Christendom declare 
faith in a resurrection as an integral and essential part of 
Scriptural doctrine and of the hope of eternal life — in view of 
these facts, and of the strong language of the texts above 
quoted, whose inspiration is conceded by all Christians, it may 
seem strange that we should ask any Christian the question, Do 
you believe in the resurrection of the dead? 

Nevertheless, we have serious reason to doubt that a belief in 
the resurrection of the dead prevails amongst Christians to any 
considerable extent; and it is because we believe the resurrec- 
tion to be a very important doctrine in its connection with other 
doctrines of Scripture (throwing light upon other doctrines), 
that we desire to call general attention to this subject and to in- 
vite an examination of our question in the light of facts and of 
Scripture ; our hope being that after a careful examination of 
the subject many more of God's people will come to believe — 
consistently, logically, Scripturally — in a resurrection. 

"Like priest, like people," is an old adage, which implies that 
the views of the teaching or clerical class on any subject may 
safely be considered an index to the views of their parishioners. 
It is not difficult to ascertain the views of the clergy of all de- 
em) 



172 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

nominations on the subject of the resurrection of the dead; 
for, although that topic is rarely chosen for discourse, except 
upon Easter Sunday, it is, nevertheless, indissolubly attached to 
every funeral service; and these numerous occasions, we be- 
lieve, amply justify us in the statement that both the clergy of 
all denominations and their people have little or no faith in a 
resurrection of the dead. 

True, it is customary on every funeral occasion to read the 
words of the Apostle Paul, in which he sets forth the resurrec- 
tion as the Christian's hope (1 Cor. 15), but this seems to be 
a mere concession on the part of the officiating minister. He 
feels it to be his duty to read something on the subject, but his 
remarks following the reading prove most conclusively that, so 
far from believing that the person whose corpse is about to be 
buried is dead, he believes, and instructs his hearers that they 
should believe that their friend and neighbor is "more alive 
than he ever was." Frequently, indeed, he plays directly into the 
hands of the "Spiritualists" and "Christian Scientists," by tell- 
ing the audience that the spirit of their dead friend is with 
them in the room, hovering over them; and that if permitted to 
speak he would say to them, "Dry your tears ; weep not for me ; 
I am far better off in glory." 

Indeed, it has come to be the general belief among Christian 
people that death is a delusion, and not a reality; that people 
merely seem to die, and do not die ; that they merely experience 
a change to a higher form of being; that so-called "Christian 
Scientists" are quite correct in saying, "There is no death." 

Whoever, holds such views does not, cannot, consistently be- 
lieve in "the resurrection of the dead," because if no one is dead, 
how can there be a resurrection of the dead? Wherein would 
be the sense in speaking of a resurrection of the dead to life, 
if they already have life more abundantly than they possessed it 
before they seemingly died? 

But thousands of ministers would answer us, saying, "When 
speaking of the resurrection, we merely mean a resurrection of 
the body — the bodies which we bury are all to come forth again 
from the grave, and the spirits which parted from them in death 
are to be rehabilitated in those bodies in the resurrection. This 
is what we mean by resurrection." 

Well, well ! Who would have supposed such inconsistency 
on the part of so many learned and well-meaning men ! Before 
taking up the Scriptural side of the question, to show that such 
expectations are at variance with the Scripture teaching, let us 
examine the proposition of these ministers in the light of its 
own inconsistency. 

(1) They tell us that the deceased is "far better off," in that 
he has gotten free from the "fetters of the flesh," and that now 



The Resurrection of the Dead. 173 

"his free spirit wings its flight to God, no longer hampered and 
hindered by the mortal dust." They go into ecstasies in describ- 
ing the grandeur and liberty and blessedness of the one who has 
died, and who, by reason of getting rid of the body, has attained 
to life more abundant, knowledge a hundredfold, and blessings 
indescribable. 

(2) In the same breath they quote the Scriptures referring to 
the resurrection and (wholly misconstruing those Scriptures) 
tell us that by and by, at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, the same bodies of flesh that were buried will be reor- 
ganized. (Dr. Talmage, in his famous resurrection sermon, 
pictured the resurrection morning, and the entire sky darkened 
with the fragments of human bodies coming together from vari- 
ous parts of the earth, where a finger, a foot, or a hand had been 
lost by accident, disease or amputation). They tell us that then 
the spirit beings which, they say, left those bodies at death, will 
return to them, as their everlasting habitations. Then, inasmuch 
as the resurrection is Scripturally set forth to be the grand and 
glorious result and consummation of our salvation, they feel 
compelled to go into ecstasies over their erroneous presentation 
of the resurrection, and to tell how glorious and grand will be 
the result. 

They seem to overlook entirely the inconsistency of these two 
propositions ; and they expect that their hearers will be simi- 
larly inconsistent and illogical (and apparently their expecta- 
tions are fully justified, for the majority of their hearers swal- 
low the inconsistency without difficulty) ; yea, many of them 
seem to think that the more inconsistent and unreasonable their 
belief may be, the more reason they have to congratulate them- 
selves that they have a very strong faith. However, the real 
fact is that they have a very strong credulity. But they will 
have no reward for believing unreasonable things which God's 
Word has not taught, but has contradicted. 

Who cannot see, if he will, that the man who dies fifty years 
old, if in dying he obtains life more abundant and knowledge a 
hundredfold, and a freedom to "wing his flight," etc., would be 
sadly disappointed by a resurrection — if it should mean to him 
reimprisonment in a tenement of clay, with physical restrictions 
and human limitations? And then, if he had thus for centuries 
been a "free spirit," roaming at liberty throughout the Universe, 
untrammeled by a body and bodily limitations, where would be 
the consistency on God's part of reimprisoning such an one in 
a human body, whose powers and uses would be entirely for- 
gotten during those centuries of liberty? And if to be without 
a body is "perfect bliss," as the funeral orators tell, how could 
there be anything ^added to perfect bliss by a resurrection of the 
body, and a reincarceration therein? 



J 74 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

From the foregoing considerations we feel that we are justi- 
fied in our assumption that the vast majority of Christian people 
do not believe in a resurrection — either the Scriptural kind ("a 
resurrection of the dead"), or in the kind they themselves teach, 
namely, a resurrection of the body. 

With this preface to our subject we go to the Scriptures to 
learn from them what is meant by "the resurrection of the 
dead," and in what manner and why the Scriptures speak of the 
resurrection as the hope, the only hope, the blessed hope, not 
only of the Lord's people, who are to have part in the "First 
Resurrection/' but of the world in general, who are to have an 
opportunity to share in the resurrection of judgment, improperly 
translated, "the resurrection of damnation." — John 5 : 29. 

Whoever would believe the Scriptural doctrine of the resur- 
rection must also believe the Scriptural doctrine respecting 
death — that death is death, the cessation of life. Then, and not 
until then, will he be able to understand the Apostle's words in 
our text, "If there be no resurrection of the dead, . . . then they 
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." 

Nor is this statement by the great Apostle Paul an exception 
to or different from the teaching of the Scriptures elsewhere. 
Their unanimous testimony is that the dead are dead; that "in 
that very day their thoughts perish." (Psa. 146:4.) Of the 
dead the Scriptures further declare, "His sons come to honor 
and he knoweth it not; to dishonor, and he perceiveth it not of 
them" ; "for there is neither wisdom, nor knowledge, nor device 
in the grave whither thou goest." — Job 14 : 21 ; Eccl. 9 : 10. 

Here is a direct conflict between modern teachers and the in- 
spired Word, the Scriptures claiming that the dead know not 
anything, the modern theologians claiming that they know every- 
thing. The Bible claims that the dead are really dead, and have 
really suffered according to the Divine penalty for sin pro- 
nounced against our race — "Dying thou shalt die." The op- 
posers take up with Satan's delusive statement to Mother Eve, 
"Ye shall not surely die," and attempt to prove that the dead are 
not dead; that God's penalty against sin did not go into effect, 
and that death, so far from being the sentence or curse upon our 
race, is a blessing, a step in a general process of evolution. The 
two theories are as far apart as the poles, and the two teachers 
of these two theories, as we have shown, are God, on the one 
hand, and Satan, "a liar from the beginning," on the other hand. 
Which shall we believe? 

The entire Plan of Salvation is connected with this question. 
If death was not the penalty of sin, incurred through Adam, 
then "life and that more abundant" is not the reward and bless- 
ing of God secured through Christ by a resurrection. Satan's 
proposition, which has been so widely accepted by the Lord's 



The Resurrection of the Dead. 175 

people, and which exercises so blinding an influence upon their 
minds, is the reversal, in every sense of the word, of the Divine 
proposition that death is the curse or penalty of sin; that Christ 
died to release man from this sentence or curse, and that the 
release comes by the resurrection of the dead, who otherwise 
would never have future life, as says the Apostle in our text. 
Satan's theory declares death a blessing which brings the fulness 
of life and liberty and joy, and would make of the resurrection 
a curse, bringing imprisonment and difficulty and restriction and 
pain and trouble. 

No wonder that, blinded by this deception of the Adversary, 
the majority of the great theologians of Christendom — and rap- 
idly their many followers — are leaving the doctrine of the Atone- 
ment, which declares that "as by a man [Adam] came death, so 
also by a man [the man Christ Jesus] comes the resurrection of 
the dead ; that as all in Adam die, even so all in Christ shall be 
made alive.^— 1 Cor. 15:21, 22. 

If the reality of death is denied, it is no more difficult to deny 
the reality of sin. If it is claimed that Father Adam was not 
created in the image and likeness of God, but was created a very 
close image and likeness of the monkey, it follows that in that 
low condition of intelligence he was unfit for trial for eternal 
life; and it is only a further step to deny that he ever had a 
trial, and that he ever failed and fell from grace. And if the 
fall is denied, and, instead, the claim is put forward that man 
has really been advancing even to the present time — losing his 
likeness to the monkey and gaining in likeness to God — then it 
will be consistent also to take the next step, and declare that 
since man did not fall he did not need to be redeemed from 
the fall. 

And hence, with all such reasoning upon false Scriptural 
basis, it appears logical to deny the oft-repeated declaration of 
God's Word, that our Lord Jesus is our Redeemer, and that "He 
is the propitiation for our sins [the Church's sins], and not for 
ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," giving for 
us, as our Ransom, or corresponding price, His own life, that 
He might buy back the forfeited life of Adam. 

We thus see that the leading lights of Christendom today re- 
pudiate both of the cardinal features of the Gospel, which the 
Apostle preached of old : "He preached Jesus and the resurrec- 
tion" — Jesus as the Redeemer of mankind from sin and its curse 
— death — and the resurrection as the grand result of that re- 
demptive work, by which the blessing secured by the Ransom- 
sacrifice will be made applicable to and available for whosoever 
wills to accept eternal life upon the Scriptural terms. We are 
reminded here of our Lord's own words respecting unbelief at 

12 



176 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

the present time: He says, "When the Son of Man cometh, 
shall He find the faith on the earth ?" — Luke 18 : 8. 

The Scripture declarations respecting death are in full accord 
with the testimony of the five senses given us as men by our 
Creator; and this is what we should expect, though we should 
be ready to admit the possibility of our senses being in error if 
the Divine revelation contradicts our senses. But when our 
senses are contradicted by a human theory, contrary to Scrip- 
tural statements, the theory should be rejected and the testimony 
of the senses held to be true; and when the Scriptures and our 
senses together unite in one testimony, it is certainly wrong to 
hold to a theory of human dissolution which is contradicted by 
Divine Revelation and by our own senses as well. And whoever 
thus repudiates his God-given (though sin-impaired) senses 
and the Divine testimony, need expect nothing else than to be 
led into darkness and stumbling. Today, as eighteen centuries 
ago, the blind are leading the blind into the ditch of unbelief 
and error. 

The testimony of our senses, like the testimony of God's 
Word, is that death means the loss of life, and not an increase 
of life. Watch the dying one and note his weakening powers, 
mental and physical, until the spark of life becomes extinct. 
You have seen nothing go from him, you have heard nothing 
but the death-rattle; you have felt the gradual cessation of the 
pulse, and noted the gasping for breath ; and all of your senses 
which you can exercise upon the subject tell you that your 
friend, your loved one, is dead — alive no longer. You look about 
you and study the subject and inquire of others, "What next?" 
The answer to your senses is, "The next thing is corruption; 
when the spark of life has gone the corpse must be buried; 'dust 
to dust, ashes to ashes.' " You note the similarity between the 
death of your friend and loved one and the death of the brute 
beast, and your senses can discern no difference between them ; 
and the Scriptures declare, "As dieth the one, so dieth the other; 
they have all one [spirit of life] breath." — Eccl. 3 : 19. 

But with a longing for a future life, implanted in your nature 
by our Creator, you inquire, Is there no hope — hath a man no 
pre-eminence above a beast ? The Scriptures answer your ques- 
tion, assuring us that, physically speaking, man "hath no pre- 
eminence above a beast." But the Scriptures assure us that al- 
though mankind is not possessed of any power of life beyond 
that of the beast, the Creator has, nevertheless, made a provision 
for man that He did not make for the beast ; and that provision 
is the very thing for which we long, namely, everlasting life. 
The Scriptures point out to us that this provision for man's 
everlasting life was made by the Lord in the beginning — not by 
implanting a deathless quality in the man's constitution, but by 






The Resurrection of tJie Dead. 177 

providing in the life-sustaining trees of the Garden of Eden, the 
means of continuing his life everlastingly; nevertheless, this 
provision was conditional, dependent upon man's obedience to 
his Creator. 

The Scriptures point out that man's disobedience brought 
upon him the sentence of death, and that the execution of that 
sentence was effected by driving him out of the Garden and 
away from the life-sustaining fruit of its trees. Thus driven 
out, the sentence, ''Dying, thou shalt die," took effect upon 
Father Adam gradually, and he lived out nearly to the end of 
the first thousand-year day. His posterity, becoming weaker 
and weaker as generations rolled by, are today (notwithstanding 
the many advancements in science and medicine and sanitary 
arrangements), reduced to an average of about thirty-five years 
— "and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is 
their strength labor and sorrow" and they are soon "cut off from 
the land of the living," to go into "the land of the enemy" — into 
the great prison-house of death, in which it is estimated that 
over twenty thousand millions of our race are already — "where 
the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest." — 
Job 3: 17-19. 

The Scriptures answer our inquiries respecting the dead. 
While assuring us of the justice of the Divine sentence of death, 
they nevertheless declare that our Creator is a God of mercy and 
of pity, and that when there was no eye to pity and no arm to 
deliver us, His Arm brought salvation to us. The Scriptures, 
moreover, point out to us the Lord Jesus Christ as the Arm of 
Jehovah, stretched down for our relief from sin and sickness 
and pain and trouble, and for our deliverance from the prison- 
house of death, and for our restoration to the liberties and priv- 
ileges of sons of God. 

It was in harmony with this Divine sympathy that, in due 
time, God sent His only begotten Son into the world, for our 
redemption — to give for us the Ransom-price, and ultimately to 
recover all who will accept of Divine mercy, from all the conse- 
quences of the fall by a resurrection from the dead. But Divine 
Love could not make void Divine Justice ; it was necessary that 
God should be just, if He would be the justifier of them that be- 
lieve in Jesus ; hence the demands of Justice — the penalty for sin 
— must be paid by our Redeemer, before the work of release and 
restitution could begin. And here we have the best of evidence 
respecting what is the penalty of sin, and what is not; because, 
since our Lord Jesus pays for us the just penalty of sin, what 
He laid down for us will prove what was the penalty against us. 
What did He do for us? The Scriptures answer: He laid down 
His life for us ; "He died for our sins" ; "He died, the Just for 
the unjust"; "He poured out His soul unto death"; He "made 



178 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

His soul an offering for [our] sin," and "by His stripes we are 
healed." — Rom. 5:8; 1 Pet. 3: 18; Isa. 53:4, 6, 10. 

Nothing is more evident than that our Lord Jesus did not 
suffer an eternity of torment as the price of our redemption; 
and hence, if the matter needed proof we have here the proof 
that eternal torment was not the penalty for our sins. On the 
contrary, the fact that our Lord Jesus died for our sins, and 
that the Heavenly Father accepted of that sacrifice of His life 
on our behalf, proves that it was our lives that were forfeited 
by sin; that the full penalty of the Divine Law against us as a 
race was the deprivation of life. The whole race, under sen- 
tence of death, has gone down to the great prison-house of 
death — the grave, sheol, hades. And so our dear Redeemer, 
when He gave up His life for us,, went also to sheol, hades, the 
grave. He took our place, and suffered for us the penalty for 
our sins. 

But as Jesus' death ransoms man from the sentence of death, 
so His resurrection from death became the assurance of the 
justification of all who accept and obey Him. The Heavenly 
Father gave evidence that the Ransom price was entirely satis- 
factory; and our Lord, who was thus obedient to the Father, 
was raised from the dead and, as the Father's Agent and Repre- 
sentative, will soon begin the work of blessing the entire world 
redeemed by His precious blood. 

The blessing of the world means the breaking open of the 
prison-house and the setting at liberty of the captives, who for 
six thousand years have been going into the prison-house of 
death. For this reason our Lord is called the Life-giver, be- 
cause His great work will be to give back life to the world of 
mankind, who lost life in Adam. And since the restoration of 
life to mankind will mean the removal of pains and sicknesses 
and troubles, which are a part of the dying process, our Re- 
deemer is styled the Great Physician. 

The prophecy which mentions the breaking open of the prison- 
house of death, and the setting at liberty of its captives (Isa. 
42:7), was applied, and unquestionably correctly, by our Lord 
to Himself; but He did not break open the prison-house of 
death, and set all the captives free by resurrection immediately 
upon His own resurrection. He tells us when this work will be 
done, saying (John 5:25-29), "The hour cometh in which all 
that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, 
and come forth"; "and they that hear [obey His voice then, 
Acts 3 : 22] shall live." 

Our Lord thus passed over the interim of the Gospel Age, and 
pointed to the grand consummation of His work in the incoming 
Age, because such was the Father's prearranged Plan. "The 
Father sent the Son," and the Son willingly undertook the work 



The Resurrection of the Dead. 179 

of redemption, at a time sufficiently in advance of the "Times of 
Restitution," or resurrection, and the general blessing of the 
world during the Reign of Messiah, to leave the interim of this 
Gospel Age for another work, namely, for selecting from the 
world a "little flock," a "Royal Priesthood," a "peculiar people," 
a "holy nation," to be joint-heirs with Christ Jesus their Lord in 
the honors of the Mediatorial Kingdom. These shall be asso- 
ciated with the Redeemer in the grand and glorious work of 
destroying the Prince of Darkness and breaking open the prison- 
house of death, and setting at liberty the captives of sin and 
ignorance and superstition; and in fulfilling generally all the 
provisions of the gracious promises of God made to Father 
Abraham that in his Seed (Christ, and His elect Body, the 
Church), "all the families of the earth shall be blessed." — Gal. 
3 = 8, 16, 29. 

This brings us to the Scriptural proposition, that there is a 
first, a chief or special resurrection, and a general one later. 
The first or superior resurrection includes the resurrection of 
our Lord Jesus Christ and of the entire elect "Church which is 
His Body" — no more, no less. "Blessed and holy are all they 
that have part in the First Resurrection; on such the Second 
Death hath no power, but they shall be kings and priests unto 
God and shall reign on the earth" — the Messianic Kingdom 
class. Those who will share in this First Resurrection will ex- 
perience an instantaneous "change" from the human nature to 
the Divine nature — the highest of the spirit natures ; not human, 
not flesh and blood, for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the 
Kingdom of God." * Their trial and perfecting of heart takes 
place beforehand, and only the "overcomers" will receive this 
blessing. Some of the characteristics of their change are indi- 
cated by the Apostle as a change from weakness to power, from 
dishonor to glory, from corruption to incorruption, from a nat- 
ural [human] body to a spirit body. 

The time for this best, or chief resurrection, is everywhere in 
Scripture indicated to be at the close of the Gospel Age, at a 
time when the entire Gospel Church will be completed. This 
includes the living members, whose "change" to spirit nature 
will be instantaneous, so that the moment of their dying as 
human beings will be the moment of their "change" to perfect 
spirit beings. Meantime, the Scriptures declare that the Lord's 
people who have died, like the rest of mankind, are really dead, 

*Some are confused by this expression, "flesh and blood"; they 
fail to see that it signifies human nature ; we therefore invite such to 
examine the use of the same phrase elsewhere. In so doing they will 
be convinced that our definition, human nature, is the correct one, the 
Scriptural one. See the following uses of the phrase: Matt. 16: 17; 
John 3: 5, 6; 1 Cor. 15: 50; Gal. 1 : 16. 



180 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

as human beings, and know not anything ; but inasmuch as God 
has provided for their resurrection, and inasmuch as they have 
been informed respecting it, and have hopes therein, therefore 
they are spoken of as being merely asleep — resting from their 
labors; waiting for "the crown of righteousness, which the 
Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to 
me only," as the Apostle declares. 

And, likewise the world of mankind, even though they know 
not of the Lord as yet, are spoken of as being "asleep in Jesus," 
because, as the whole world was under condemnation of death 
through Adam, and that without knowledge or volition on their 
part, at the time of the sentence, for they were then in the loins 
of their father, Adam, so now, since Jesus laid down His life a 
Ransom for all, and because they all shall be awakened from 
death, therefore it is proper for all those who are aware of the 
Divine provision for the awakening, by faith to speak of the 
interim figuratively as a sleep. 

Thus the Apostle exhorts us to trust and hope in the resur- 
rection as respects all our dear friends who go down into the 
prison-house of death, and not merely as respects those who 
were sanctified in Christ Jesus, which would include, as a rule, 
only a small proportion of those for whom we would be inclined 
to sorrow. He says, "I would not have you to be ignorant, 
brethren, concerning them which are asleep [all our sleeping 
friends], that ye sorrow not even as others, who have no hope. 
For if we believe' that Jesus died [a Ransom for all] and rose 
again [that He might be Lord and Life-giver to all] even so 
[let us believe as truly that] those also which sleep in Jesus [all 
whom He purchases with His precious blood] will God bring by 
Him [from the prison-house of death]." 

But as the First Resurrection is the resurrection of the blessed 
and holy, of the sanctified in Christ Jesus, His Body, so the gen- 
eral resurrection, which is for the world, is designated as "a 
resurrection of judgment," mistranslated in our Common Ver- 
sion "resurrection of damnation." It is styled a "resurrection 
of judgment" because, while all the preparation has been made, 
so far as God is concerned, for granting to the world of man- 
kind a full resurrection or restitution back to all that was first 
given to Adam, and lost by his disobedience, to be recovered by 
our Savior's precious blood, yet there are certain conditions at- 
tached to this blessing upon which it depends, namely, the con- 
ditions of the New Covenant. 

God does not propose to give eternal life through Christ to 
any others than those who earnestly desire it, and who are in 
heart sympathy with the principles of righteousness which must 
always be the Law of the Divine Government. Hence when the 
world is awakened from the sleep of death, it will not signify 



The Resurrection of the Dead. 181 

resurrection, but much less; for resurrection, in its full, com- 
plete, Scriptural sense, signifies a complete raising up, out of 
sin and out of death, to perfection of being, perfection of life. 

The first work of Christ and the Church in the world, for 
those who have gone down into death, the prison, will be their 
awakening to physical conditions similar to those in which they 
died. The surrounding conditions of society will then be greatly 
improved; knowledge will have taken the place of ignorance, 
and the reign of righteousness and the law of love will at that 
time have superseded the rule of sin under the law of selfish- 
ness ; and Satan will be bound, that he shall deceive the nations 
no more for the thousand years. Under the favorable condi- 
tions of that Mediatorial Kingdom, all mankind will be required 
to make progress in the knowledge of the Lord and in the bring- 
ing of their own hearts and lives into accord with His law of 
Love. Whosoever then will make no effort in the right direc- 
tion will be cut off* from life, in the Second Death, after one 
hundred years of trial (Isa. 65:20), although he would then, 
under the changed conditions, be properly reckoned as only a lad. 

But while judgment will thus pass against one who fails to 
make progress, and will cut short his further opportunity, the 
same judgment, by the same Judge, will operate favorably to 
all who will seek righteousness, and make progress in harmony 
with the laws of the Kingdom; so that year by year they will be 
growing mentally, physically and morally stronger — approxi- 
mating gradually the full, complete standard of perfect man- 
hood, the image and likeness of the Creator, as first represented 
in Father Adam. Thus the resurrection, so far as the world is 
concerned, will be a gradual work; its first step an awakening 
from the sleep of unconsciousness and nonentity ; its succeeding 
steps will be along the lines of judgment, the conduct of thos-e 
who are on trial being either approved or disapproved ; and cul- 
minating either in their sentence to the Second Death, incor- 
rigible, and unworthy of the gift of God, eternal life — or in 
their perfection, and their final adjudgment of worthiness to 
have and enjoy the great boon of Life Eternal, under the blessed 
conditions which are then promised to prevail — when there shall 
be no more sighing, no more dying, no more crying, because 
there will be no more sin and none of the penalties for sin, for 
all the former things shall have passed away. — Rev. 21 : 4. 

The condition of all the dead, up to the time when the resur- 
rection work begins, is one of total unconsciousness : "There is 
neither wisdom, nor knowledge, nor device in the grave whither 
thou goest" ; "His sons come to honor and he knoweth it not, 
to dishonor, and he perceiveth it not of them." Of each of the 
Patriarchs of the past it is written, "He slept with his fathers"; 
"He fell asleep." And so also in the New Testament we have a 



1 82 Life — Death — Hereafter. 

similar record : "Stephen fell asleep." The Apostle Paul speaks 
of those who saw the Lord after His resurrection and says, "He 
was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the 
greater part remain to this present time, but some are fallen 
asleep." Again he speaks of some which are "fallen asleep in 
Christ," here distinguishing between the Church, who are in 
Christ,* as members of His Body, and the world of mankind 
in general, who "sleep in Jesus." — Eccl. 9:10; Job 14:21; 1 
Kings 2:10; 1 1 : 43 ; Acts 7 : 60 ; 1 Cor. 15:6, 18 ; 1 Thess. 4 : 14. 

The Apostle shows that this sleep-condition will prevail, even 
as respects the Church, until the time of the second coming of 
Christ, assuring. us that the living members of the Church at 
the time of the Lord's Second Advent will not be blessed prior 
to those that have fallen asleep, but contrariwise, the living 
"shall not prevent [hinder] them that are asleep," for the dead 
in Christ shall arise first; then we who are alive and remain 
will be blessed, and ultimately experience our "change." 

The moment of reawakening will seem to the awakened ones 
to be the next moment after their death — "for there is neither 
wisdom, knowledge nor device in the grave." The bodies in 
which the world will be awakened will be practically the same as 
those which died, though not the same atoms of matter; for in 
the hands of our Creator one atom of dust is as good as another 
in this great work. Thus the Apostle says, "Thou sowest not 
that body which shall be." The bodies of the world, as they 
shall be when awakened, will be really new bodies, in the sense 
that they will be different atoms of matter; but they will be old 
bodies, in the sense that they will be duplicates of those which 
died and went to dust. We cannot wonder that the worldly 
mind, which knows not God and knows not of His power, cavils 
at the thought of resurrection. It will be a most stupendous 
work, more wonderful by far than man's original creation; it 
will thus be to the world of mankind, and to the angels of 
Heaven also, the grandest exhibition ever given of Divine Om- 
nipotence. 

He who formed man in the beginning, in His own image, has 
the power not only to form him again of the dust of the ground, 
and to re-enkindle the spark of life, but yet more than in these 
will He exhibit both His Omnipotence and His Infinite Wisdom 
in the restoration to each being of a brain like his present one, 
having recorded therein the events and circumstances which 
have transpired in the present life — just as the wax cylinder of 



♦Christ is the title of our Lord as the New Creature, and of His 
office; while Jesus is the name of the Redeemer, through whose sac- 
rifice comes to all men an opportunity to share in a resurrection of 
the dead. 



The Resurrection of the Dead. 183 

a phonograph bears in itself the recorded words of the speaker, 
which can be reproduced at another time and place. None but 
an Infinite Being could claim the power thus to reproduce the 
very thoughts of the billions of mankind. He of whom it is said 
that He knows the very hairs of our heads and their number, 
and that not a sparrow can fall to the ground without His notice 
— only He could do so great and wonderful a thing; and only 
as we have learned to have confidence in Him through the reve- 
lation of His Word could we exercise faith in such a stupendous 
miracle as He has promised shall be performed. 

Nor need we expect that the world of mankind will all be 
awakened simultaneously, but rather that the great work of the 
Messianic Kingdom will begin with those who have not gone 
down to the tomb, but who are nevertheless in death, in the sense 
that they are not alive in the complete, full measure of freedom 
from the power of death. When the work of restitution shall 
have progressed to some extent with these, we may expect that 
some of those who have previously fallen asleep in death will be 
awakened, and share in the blessings of that glorious Day. 
Later, others, and still others, will arise, until eventually it will 
be true that, in that Day, the Day of Christ, "all that are in the 
graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God" — shall obey the 
mandate, "Come forth" — and shall be brought to a knowledge 
of the goodness and love and mercy of God; and, if they will, 
ultimately to the full perfection of human nature — the earth, 
meanwhile, being fitted and prepared as a Paradise of God for 
His restored family. 

Meantime, the exhortation to all the "called" in the present 
Age is that we should seek to make our "calling and election 
sure" to a place in the Kingdom class, to a change of nature, 
from human to divine, and thus have a right, under the Divine 
arrangement, to have a part in the "first resurrection" — to the 
perfection of the Divine nature with its glory and its honor. 



Many sleep, but not forever; 

There will be a glorious dawn ; 
We shall meet to part, no, never, 

On the resurrection morn. 
From the deepest caves of ocean, 

From the desert and the plain, 
From the valley and the mountain, 

Countless throngs shall rise again. 



INDEX 



— TO— 



SCRIPTURE CITATIONS 



GENESIS. 

I : 20 23 

1:28 77 

1 : 30 23 

2:7 20 

2:17 ....14, 18, 39 

3:4 154 

3 : 19 18, 40 

3 : 22 21 

6:1-5 166 

6:1-6 no 

6: 17 23 

7:i5 23 

7-22 23 

12:3 39 

28 : 14 39 

37:35 55 

42:38 ,..:.:.. 55 

44:29 55 

44:31 55 

EXODUS. 

1:5 26 

7: II 151 

7:22 151 

8:7 151 

13: 19 02 

22: l8 113 

LEVITICUS. 

6:1-7 ICO 

19:31 113 

20:6 113 

20.27 113 

22 : 3 19 

NUMBERS. 

15:30 19 

16 : 30-33 57 

DEUTERONOMY. 

18: 9-12... 113, 153 

30: 15 18, 93 

30 : 19 18, 93 

32 : 22 54 

JOSHUA. 

10:35 29 

I. SAMUEL. 

2:6 55 

9:2 113 

15:26 114 



!5:35 114 

28:7-20 113 

II. SAMUEL. 

3-39 101 

22:6 53 

I. KINGS. 

2:6, 9 55 

2:10 182 

H:43 182 

22:22 117 

22: 23 117 

II. KINGS. 

21 : 2 113 

21 :6 113 

21:9 113 

21:11 113 

I. CHRON. 

IO: 13 113 

!o: 14 113 

JOB. 

1:9 151 

2:3-6 130 

^'7 151 

3:i7-i9 177 

4:9 18 

6:15 18 

6:18 18 

7:9 18 

10: 19 8 

10:21 53 

10: 21 30 

10 : 22 30 

n:8 54 

14: 12 114 

14: 13 51, 56 

14: 12-15 ii4 

14:14 5 

14: 14 26 

14: 15 26 

14: 21 

38,106,114,174,182 

17: 13 56 

17:16 .......... 56 

21: 13 56 

24 : 19 • 56 

24 : 20 56 

26 : 6 54 

(184) 



3i:3 18 

36: 14 19 

PSALMS. 
6:5 28, 30, 56 

g : 5 o 9, 115 

8:5-8 77, 165 

9:5 18 

9:i7 53, 88 

13:3 114 

16: 10 ...53, 57, 59 

i6:i i ■•. 79 

17: 15 29 

18:5 53 

19: 11 101 

22 .-29 . . 19, 29 

30:3 - ... 56 

30:5 25 

3i: 17 56 

33:i8 19 

33: 19 19 

35:i7 19 

37:9 8, 18 

37 : 10 18, 80 

37:i6 18 

37:20 8, 18, 80 

37:34 18 

37:35 18 

37:36 18 

37:38 18 

40: 14 19 

49:8 19 

49: 12 18 

49 : 14 56 

49: 15 24, 56 

5i:5 40 

55: 15 53 

56: 13 19, 29 

73' 2 7 18 

78:2 65 

78 : 50 19, 20, 29 

86: 13 51, 54 

88:3 56 

88:3-12 30 

88:11 53 

88:12 53 

89:48 56 

90:3 • 114 

00: 5 114 

91 : 8 101 



Index of Texts. 



185 



97' 10 130 

101 : 5-8 88 

104 : 35 18 

115: 17,.. 28, 53, 71 

116:3 64 

116: 8 19 

116: 15 130 

119: 175 29 

139:8 54 

141 : 7 56 

145 : 20 18, 80 

U6 : 4 

28, 30, 106, 174 

PROVERBS. 

I : 12 56 

2:6 137 

2:7 137 

3: 19 23 

5:5 54 

5:21 98 

6:32 19 

7:27 54 

9:18 54 

II : 10 18 

11 : 18 101 

15:3 98 

15: 11 54 

15:24 54 

23: 14 54 

27:20 54 

30: 15 56 

30: 16 56 

ECCLESIASTES. 

3: 19 176 

3:21 23 

9:5 28 

9:5. .I06, 109, H4 
9:6.. .28, I06, H4 
9: IO 

38, 53, 56, 71, 97 
109, 174, 182 

12:7 24 

12: 14 98, 100 

SONGS OF SOL. 

8:6 56 

ISAIAH. 

I : 20 18 

1:28 18 

5:i4 • 54 

8: 19 113, 153 

8: 20... 46. 113, 153 

10: 18 19 



11 : 9 88, 89, 90 

14:9 53. 54 

U: 11 57 

14: 12-14, 15-20 89 

14: 15 54 

18: 19 131 

18: 20 131 

19:3 113 

25:8 51 

28:15-18 55 

28: 17 100 

29: 15 98 

29:9-19 53 

29: 13 14, 102 

34:8-10 88 

38:10 57 

38: 17 29 

38: 18.... 28, 30, 57 

38:19 28 

40: 1 73 

40:2 73 

40: 10 101 

41:21 .... 115 

41:23 US 

42 : 2 47 

42:7 178 

49 : 4 101 

53:4 16, 178 

53:5 16 

53:6 178 

53: 10 

19,23,29,93,178 
53: 12.... 19, 23, 29 

55:3 19 

55:9 38 

57:9 55 

61 : 1 16, 89 

65:20 75, 181 

66 : 24 66 

JEREMIAH. 

31:29 83, 94 

31:30 83 

31:20-34 99 

31:30 18, 83 

31:34 90 

EZEKIEL 

13:6 H7 

13: 19 19 

18:2 83 

18: 2-4, 19, 20. 75 
18 : 4. . 12, 19, 29, 80 

18:20 

12, 19, 29, 80, 93 



18 : 20-32 99 

18: 27 19 

21 : 27 19, 84 

22: 25 19 

22 : 27 19 

3i:i5 57 

3I.I5-I7 55 

32:21 55 

32:27 55 

33 : 1 1 99 

34:9 52 

34 : 10 52 

DANIEL. 

2:34 - 75 

2: 35 75 

3 : 19-27 120 

7:14 84 

7-22 84 

7:27 56 

12: 1 116 

12: 2 . .29, 100, 116 

12 \3 29 

HOSEA. 

13: I4-... 17, 57, 83 

AMOS. 

9:2 53 

OBADIAH 

16 43 

JONAH. 

2:1 55 

2:2 53, 55 

HABAKKUK 

2:5 55 

ZECHARIAH 

9: 12 59 

12: 10 7Z 

MATTHEW. 

5:6 12 

5: 12 IOI 

5:21 6l 

5 : 22 59, 61 

5 : 22-30 62 

5:29 59 

5:30 59 

5:44 38 

6:25 19 

6: 26 19 

7:i3 16 

7: 14 33 

8 : 22 164 



186 Index of Texts. 

8:25 l8 IO:i7 153 ACTS. 

8 : 32 18 10 : 42 98 2:1 58 

10:28 ..19,29,59,64. 11:50 18 2:14-22 58 

10:41 101 11:51 18 2:22-31 58 

10: 42.. .94, 98, 101 12:4 64 2:27 57 

11:20-24.. . .94, 99 12:5 59,64 2:29 31 

11:23 57 12:47 96 2:31 53 

12:24,31,32.. 99 12:48 96 2:34 29,31 

12:31 96,99 13:33 18 2:36 59 

12:32 96 14:14 28 3:15 53 

12:36 98 14:27 33 3:19-21 ....12, 28 

12:43-45 ..... 117 16:19-31 69 3:21 43 

13:35 65 16:33 57 3-22 94, 178 

13:39 50 18:8 176 3:23.-12,15,19,94 

13:40-43 29 21.15 53 4:21 81 

13:43 75 23:46 24 7:15 62 

J 5:26 70 7:16 62 

15:27 70 ,.- J jj, 7:59 24 

16:17 179 3-5 US, 79 7:6o 25j l82 

16:18 58 3-6 ..179 J3.8.H II7 

16:27 28,101 3.13 •■•••;•?§' 3i I3:3 6 25 

18:8 65 l'-\a '''£'$ 16: 16-18.. 113, 131 

18:9 59,65 3.19 94,98 l(y lb II2 

20:28 16, 17 ?"2 7 ' 2 l6:l8 ll 7 

2i:43 70 \\ 9 1A 7 ° I7:i8 17 

23:15 59,67 \\\% 7 17:27 150 

23:33 59,67 \\ l 2 l t± 17:32 171 

24:24..I25,I5I,I54 \ 2 r S 19:15 112 

24:24-26 144 V 25-2q"'"'26 178 2 ° :27 I4 ' i? 

24:26 149 l'-U Q 22:24 86 

2 5:3i-46 74 |;2 ;V.V.'.'.42 54 2 4:i5---39, 93, 97 

25: 41 80 

25:46 30, 81 

26 : 37 1 



26 : 38 29 

MARK 



5:29 ..42, IOO, I74 ROMANS. 

5:30 , 100 I; 18 18 

6:40 7 1:32 18 

6: 51 7, 17 2:7 9, 11 

8:39 72 3:4 102 

3:24-26 150 8 :44 38 4:16 72 

9:22 127 IO :io 16 5:8 178 

9:43-47 59 10:26-28 7 5:12 13.40,83 

9:43-48 65 II: 3 4i 5:12 18,56 

11: 11 . .24, 42, 114 5: 15 18 

luke. 11:14 42, 114 5:16 18 

3:38 78 11:15 42 5:17 18 

4:18 16,59 11:23 42 5.18 18,56 

4:35 "7 11:24 42 5:19 18.56 

4:36 117 n:43 42 5:21 18 

4:41 112, 117 n:44 42 6:9 ;.66, 89 

6:35 101 13:33 29 6:16 18 

8:2 117 14:3 29 6:21 18 

8:30 117 14:21 149 6:23.-7, 12, 13, 15 

9:1 IJ 7 15:15 52 16,18,30,39,55,170 

10:11 117 17:2 7 7:5 18 

10:15 57 17:3 7 7:12 63 



Index of Texts. 



187 



8:3 94 

8:13 18 

8:17 11 

8: 17 ' 28 

8: 18 28 

8: 19 28 

8: 22 28, 40 

8 : 29 11 

11 : 19-32 73 

11:26-33 74 

12: 17-19 101 

12:20 38 

13: 10 76, 79 

14: 11 101 

14: 12 101 

I. CORINTHIANS. ' 

3:7 129 

3:17 18 

4:5 98 

6:2 95, 98 

6:3 -.95, 137, 169 

6:20 17 

10: 11 100 

10:20 117 

15:3 17, 59 

15:6 25, 182 

15: 18 182 

15: 13-18 

25, 30, 106 

15: 12-18 144 

15:36-38 144 

15: 14-18 24 

15: 15-18 171 

15:20 25 

15:21 ..17, 18, 175 

15: 22 18 

15:23 43 

15:25-28 77 

15:26 59 

15: 27 9, 10 

15:37 24 

15:37-40 27 

15:38 24 

15:42-44 11 

15:49 11, 28 

15:50 45, 179 

15:51 25 

15:52 45 

15:54 57 

15:55 57 

15:66 18 

II. CORINTHIANS. 
3: 13-16 73 



4:4 I50 

5: 14 52 

5:17 28 

8:9 10 

H:3 131 

GALATIANS. 

3:8 179 

3: 16 28, 179 

3:29 

11,28, 71, 72, I79 

5:2-4 72 

5: 19-21 113 

6:8 7, 18 

6: 12 52 

EPHESIANS. 

1:4 77 

2:5 73 

2:6 28 

2:7 28 

2: 12 71 

2:13 7i 

4:2 129 

6: 11 103 

6: 11-13 150 

6: 12 103, 122 

PHILIPPIANS. 

2:5 101 

2:8 10 

2:9 10 

3: 11 28 

3:i4 28 

3:i9 15, 18 

COLOSSIANS. 

1:4 129 

1:5 129 

i : 22 11 

2:4 129 

2:8 93 

3:4 29 

I. THESS. 

2: 16 54 

4:i3 25 

4: 14 25, 182 

4:i5 25 

5:23 27 

II. THESS. 

1:9... .8, 15, 18, 30 

1: II 28 

1 : 12 28 

2:9 117 



2:9-12 150 

2: II 121, 153 

2: 12 121, 153 

I. TIMOTHY. 

2:5 17 

2:6 17 

4: 1... 117, 126, 150 

6:8 18 

6: 12 7 

6: 16 9 

6:19 7 

6 : 20 93 

II. TIMOTHY. 

I: 7 137 

1:9 28 

1: 10 28 

1: 12 25 

2: 26 126 

3:i7 127 

4:7 75 

4:8 29, 75 

4: 18 28 

TITUS. 

2 : 14 70 

3:5 129 

HEBREWS. 

1 '3 59 

1 : 14 127 

2:7 164 

2 : 10 11 

2: 14... 9) 55, 79, 87 

89, 130, 150 

3: 1 28 

§:9 7 

6:4 28 

6:6 96 

7:i9 94 

10: 1-10 94 

10: 26 60, 85 

10:26-28 18 

10 : 26-29 80 

n:4 170 

11: 13 29 

1 1 : 22 62 

n:39 29 

1 1 : 40 29 

12: 2 10 

12:3 10 

12 : 29 18 

JAMES. 

i:i5 15, 18 



188 



Index of Texts. 



2:5 156 

2: 19 112 

3: 1 131 

3:6 59, 67 

3: 12 19 

3: 15-17 131 

4:7 115 

4:12 15 

5:20 19 

I. PETER. 

1:4 29 

i:5 29 

1: 18 17 

1 : 19 6, 17 

2:7 70 

2:9 70 

3: 12 101 

3:18 

39, 165, 169, 178 

3 : 19 165, 169 

4:6 1-63, 164 

5U 2 9 

5:8 115, 149 

5:9 IJ S 

II. PETER. 

1:4 9, 10, 28 

2:1 15, 18, 49 

2:4 .68,111,153.167 

2:5 167 

2:9 30, 101, 81 



2:1 18 

2: 12 18 

3:4 25 

3:8 14, 39 

3:9 15 

3:i5 18 

3: 17 151 

I. JOHN. 

2:2 59 

2:17 15 

2:25 7 

3:2 29 

3:8 15, 17, 89 

3: 14 15 

3:i5 15 

4: i-3 129 

4:1-6 132 

4: 18 81 

5:u 7 

5: 12...... 7, 30, 15 

5: 16 18, 96 

JUDE. 

6 in, 153, 167 

REVELATION 

1:18 59 

5:9-12 10 

6:8 58 

7: 16 12 

7: 17 12 



n:i5 29 

11: 18 28, 29 

14:9711 ...... 88 

14: 10 86 

14: 11 86 

15:3 69 

15:4 69 

19:3 87 

19:8 70 

20: 1 75, 150 

20 : 2 75 

20:7-10 87 

20:9 82, 86 

20 : 10 86 

20: 14, 15 .... 82 

20: 12 83, 84 

20: 13 83, 84 

20: 14... .30, 59, 80 

20: 15 30, 60 

20: 21-27 87 

21:2 11, 75 

2i:3-7 84 

21:4 ...12, 59, 181 

21 : 6 12 

21:8 ..12,82,86,113 

21 : 9 ..; 11 

21 : 10 60 

21:2 75 

22 : 12 101 

22: 17 76 



o 



LIFE— DEATH— HEREAFTER 

200 pages. Cloth bound. 98c. a copy. 

T^ACH CHAPTER OF THIS 
VOLUME is .published sep- 
arately for the convenience of 
those who desire to carry or loan 
these chapters singly. 

CHAPTERS I, II, III, IV and VII 

are published as Extra Editions 
of "The Herald of the Epiphany" 

Four cents in stamps procures any one of them. 

CHAPTER V 
THE HELL OF THE BIBLE 

Containing 64 pages. Paper cover. 
19c. a copy. 



CHAPTER VI 
SPIRITISM-ANCIENT and MODERN 

Containing 72 pages. Paper cover. 
23c. a copy. 



We have Tracts on other Biblical Subjects. Four 
cents in stamps will procure a copy of any one of them. 



PAUL S. L. JOHNSON, V.D.M., Editor and Publisher, 
1222 MORRIS ST., PHILADELPHIA, PA., U. S. A. 




THE HERALD t° h f e EPIPHANY EC 



AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL, 

NON-SECTARIAN BI-MONTHLY 

RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE 



PAUL S. L. JOHNSON, V.D.M., 
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR, 
* ¥ 1222 MORRIS STREET, * ¥ 
PHILADELPHIA, PA., U. S. A. 



"It treats of timely Biblical 
subjects. It gives the Signs of 
the Times. It contains a ques- 
tion box answering questions 
capable of Biblical solutions. 
It is a veritable treasury of 
Biblical Information and Prac- 
tical Help for Consecrated 
Christians." — The Present 
Truth, Philadelphia, Pa. JJ. S. A. 



ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 25 CENTS (Is.) 
SINGLE COPIES 5 CENTS (2£d.) in advance. 






Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: August 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEAOER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Onve 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



